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Tyler Gaffalione reaches 2000 wins

Jockey Tyler Gaffalione after winning the Del Mar Oaks aboard Spendarella.

Jockey Tyler Gaffalione, a 28-year-old native of Davie, Florida from a family of jockeys, reached the 2000 win milestone in the sixth race, a $44,000 claiming event over the Gulfstream Park turf on Friday January 20, 2023 aboard 4-1 fourth choice Megacity. He got win number 1999 just two hours earlier aboard 3-1 favorite Temerity in the third race, a $12,000 maiden claimer, and didn't wait long for win 2000, aboard Concrete Glory in the last race of the card, a $30,000 starter optional claiming event.

Gaffalione is a third generation jockey, after grandfather Robert and father Steve. He rode his first winner on September 5, 2014 also at Gulfstream Park in jut his third race, and went on to win the Eclipse Award for outstanding apprentice the following year. Currently he rotates between Gulfstream in the winter, Kentucky in the spring and fall, and Saratoga in the summer, as the first call rider for trainer Mark Casse at those tracks.

Tyler Gaffalione after winning the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint aboard Caravel.

After the 2000th win he said, "I feel so blessed. I just want to thank the people who have gotten me to this point, all the people who put in numerous hours in the mornings to make my job easier. I love what I do. I love being here. It couldn't have happened at a better place, my home track. I was a little worried we weren't going to get it done today and then we're going out of town tomorrow (to ride at Fair Grounds). But it all worked out."

Tyler Gaffalione after winning the Florida Derby aboard White Abarrio.

He is coming off a career year in 2022, winning seven Grade 1 races including the Florida Derby aboard White Abarrio, and his first two Breeders' Cup wins aboard Wonder Wheel in the Juvenile Fillies and 43-1 longshot Caravel in the Turf Sprint. That year he won a career best $27,360,825 in total purse earnings. He is scheduled to ride White Abarrio in the Pegasus World Cup on January 28. In terms of purse earnings, his top horse has been Got Stormy, winner of over $2 million including the Fourstardave Handicap (G1) in 2021, followed by $1.7 million earning War of Will, who gave him him only Triple Crown win so far, in the 2019 Preakness Stakes (G1). Wonder Wheel is third with $1.55 million in earnings.

He has established himself as the most dominant rider in Kentucky for the last several years, and is usually ranks near the top of the standings during his home track Gulfstream Park's Championship Meeting. At the time of writing (January 21, 2023) he has 2001 wins, 1742 seconds, and 1584 thirds in 11,474 mounts, with purse earnings of $114,570,059, giving him a 17% win rate, 46% in the money, and earning almost $10,000 per start.

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