Luca Panici

A pair of jockeys who have been mainstays at Gulfstream Park have announced their stepping away from the South Florida riding colony. Jockey Luca Panici, after riding over 15 years in Florida, retired from riding at the conclusion of Sunday's program at Gulfstream, while Edgard Zayas shift his tack to New York after the Championship Meet's closing day. Panici, 52, has ridden 943 winners in the U.S. A son of Italy's leading jockey in the 1970s and 1980s, the Italian native rode more than 500 winners in Europe. "I feel...

Jockey Luca Panici suffered three fractured vertebrae when he was unseated during the 10th race at Gulfstream Park Saturday and is expected to miss several weeks of riding. "They say there's no surgery. He just needs time to heal," said the jockey's agent Kevin Meyocks. Panici has won 724 races since coming to the U.S. from Italy, where he rode more than 500 winners. In 2020 Panici came back from two injuries, a fracture collarbone in February and two broken ribs in April.

At 46, Luca Panici is far too deep into his career for anyone to talk sensibly of breakthroughs. But if it is unusual to find the second favorite for a Classic ridden by a jockey who has otherwise partnered a single graded stakes winner, then let nobody be deceived. Luca Panici was born and raised for days like Saturday, and his horsemanship and character are absolutely commensurate with the opportunity awaiting him on Sole Volante (Karakontie {Jpn}) in the GI Belmont S. The one pity, of course, is that this...

Jose Ortiz and Luca Panici will both be sidelined for several weeks. Ortiz fractured his wrist Saturday after being unseated by Atone (Into Mischief) in the post parade of race three. He climbed back aboard and rode the race, but was off his mounts the rest of the day. He will be forced to miss the call aboard Tacitus (Tapit) in the $20-million Saudi Cup Feb. 29. Panici fractured his collarbone Friday afternoon when he was thrown from Terrible Tara (Revolutionary) in race 10 after she hit the rail. He...