Tyler Gaffalione

It came down to the top two betting choices as 6-year-old Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator) and 3-year-old Godolphin homebred and 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Poster (Munnings) threw down through the final furlong but, in the end, Skippy got the better of his younger, favored rival to capture the GIII Harlan's Holiday at Gulfstream Park Saturday. The traditional prep for next month's GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational, the Harlan's Holiday was Skippylongstocking's first race back since a case of the thumps saw him fade to eighth on a hot night in...

2nd-AQU, $85k, Msw, 2yo, 1m, 11:48 a.m. ET MR. MIRACLE (Curlin) gets his career started for a high-powered partnership that includes Jeff Drown, Gary Broad's Walmac Farm and Gainesway Farm. A son of one-time 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard Cherry Lodge (Bernardini), a listed winner and Grade I-placed at the races, the Mar. 28 foal fetched $700,000 at Keeneland September last fall from bloodstock agent Mike Ryan, who bought the colt's yearling full-brother for $1.4 million this past September. Cherry Lodge is a full-sister to GSW Gala Award and...

Godolphin homebred Bella Ballerina (Street Sense), a half-sister to champion and GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) whose lone previous trip to the post resulted in a 'TDN Rising Star' presented by Hagyard-worthy debut sprinting over six furlongs at Keeneland Oct. 5, successfully stretched out to two turns Saturday afternoon in the GII Golden Rod Stakes, hitting the front at midstretch before holding off a late lunge from fellow 'Rising Star' Atropa (Into Mischief). The winner earns 10 points on the 2026 Road to the Kentucky Oaks. Bet...

A few weeks removed from having topped this year's Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale on a bid of $3.7 million from Bill Shiveley's Dixiana Farms, Lush Lips (GB) (Ten Sovereigns {Ire}) pounced on long-time leader Classic Q (Classic Empire) with less than a furlong to race in Friday's GII Mrs. Revere Stakes and held off a late surge from East Coast raider Pretty Picture (Munnings) by a long neck as the heavy 1-2 favorite. Exiting a victory in Keeneland's Oct. 11 GI Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup about 70 miles...

Every week, the TDN posts a roundup of the relevant Horseracing Integrity and Safety Act (HISA) related rulings from around the country. The following rulings were reported on HISA's "rulings" portal and through the Horseracing Integrity and Welfare Unit's (HIWU) "pending" and "resolved" cases portals.  Among this week's rulings, Antonio Meraz has been banned two years and fined $5,000 after his trainee, First Kitten, tested positive for banned Cobalt Salts after winning at Mahoning Valley on February 12. His suspension began on Nov. 12. Cobalt is a substance that's naturally present in a horse, generally in very low...

She may've been in another zip code early, but A Fine Chardonnay (Maclean's Music) was moving fastest late to inhale her rivals en route to victory in the Dean Dorton Myrtlewood Stakes at Keeneland. Debuted beneath the Twin Spires Sept. 11, she came off the pace and closed smartly to win by two lengths as a massive 45-1 longshot. She went off here at a much lower 2-1 on the back of some strong works at Churchill since that unveiling. A Fine Chardonnay jumped evenly with the field, but soon...

Godolphin's Bella Ballerina (Street Sense) came from just off the pace to earn TDN Rising Stardom, Presented by Hagyard, in her career opener at Keeneland Sunday afternoon. Content to settle in right behind the leading draft through an opening quarter in :22.47, the 7-5 choice, who was clocking the pace wide, was given her cue from Tyler Gaffalione turning for home. Unfurling her long legs from there, the homebred drew clear in the late stages to win by a convincing 4 1/4-length margin over fellow firsters Debbie Doll (Liam's Map)...

Trainer Joe Sharp notched his 1,000th North American victory in sixth race at Ellis Park on Friday when Master Game (Mastery) took a seven-furlong claimer under Tyler Gaffalione. At Saratoga that same day where he won his 999th in the third race, the trainer--who went out on his own in 2014--said it was satisfying to reach the milestone with his Ellis-based team, which is headed by longtime assistant Marvin Alvarez. "It's great, and I was happy to have it happen down there at Ellis because Marvin has been there with...

Out since Mar. 26 when he broke his left ankle in an incident prior to a race at Gulfstream, Tyler Gaffalione will be back on July 16. Gaffalione was shaken up during the post parade of the claiming event for 3-year-old fillies when his mount, China Blue (Social Inclusion), acted up and pinned his leg against the rail. The surprise is not that he is coming back, but where he will be riding after resuming his career. His agent Matt Muzikar said that Gaffalione will ride the meet at Ellis...

Jockey Tyler Gaffalione was transported to a local Hallandale hospital for further evaluation after complaining of ankle pain prior to Wednesday's fourth race at Gulfstream Park, the track said in a Wednesday release. In the early evening DRF reported that the rider suffered a broken ankle and would be out indefinetly. Gaffalione was shaken up during the post parade of the claiming event for 3-year-old fillies when his mount, China Blue (Social Inclusion), acted up and pinned his leg against the rail. Gaffalione was a replacement rider for Junior Alvarado,...

A horse that frequently fires a big shot when fresh up, Spirit of St Louis (Medaglia d'Oro) was steered off heels and widest in upper stretch and powered home down the center of the course to take out Saturday's $1-million GI Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational Stakes at Gulfstream Park. The New York-bred, off at odds touching 8-1, broke fairly and took up a spot in the third flight of horses, sat a centerfield trip as the rail-drawn GI Hollywood Derby hero Formidable Man (City of Light) cut out the...

John Velazquez and Mike Smith were elected co-chairmen of The Jockeys' Guild when the organization hosted its annual assembly virtually Jan. 14. Javier Castellano, Julien Leparoux and James Flores were elected co-vice chairmen, Tyler Gaffalione as secretary and Julien Leparoux as treasurer. In addition, Joe Bravo, Drayden Van Dyke, James Graham and Rodney Prescott will serve on the Board of Directors. Senate members for the guild in 2025-2026 are: Eastern region: Joe Bravo, Kendrick Carmouche, Javier Castellano, Frankie Dettori, Reylu Gutierrez, Flavien Prat, Sheldon Russell, Drayden Van Dyke and John...