Tyler Gaffalione

Gaffalione received the 2015 Eclipse Award trophy as the country’s leading apprentice rider at the racetrack where he earned his first riding title. The 20-year-old become the leading rider at Gulfstream Park’s 2015 spring/summer meet. With four days left in the meet, Gaffalione already had a 24-win lead but sealed the deal by winning four races June 27.

Gaffalione had contemplated riding somewhere less competitive than at Gulfstream’s champion winter meet, but he knew he wouldn’t gain the same experience as he would riding against some of the East Coast’s best jockeys.

“It was the best thing I ever decided to do, was to stay here this winter,” Gaffalione said back in June. “I learned so much from guys like Javier [Castellano], John Velazquez, [Edgar) Prado, for sure—he’s been a big help—Joel Rosario, Julien Leparoux, Rajiv [Maragh]. They’re great riders, good guys, and when you ride with them, you learn some of their habits—what they’re going to do, when they do it, kind of like their tendencies. It really helped me out a lot.”

Gaffalione had a 15% win rate for the year, which included four black-type stakes victories. The young rider is the son of Steve Gaffalione, a winner of more than 800 races during 20-year riding career.