Another Los Al Riding Title for Van Dyke

Apprentice jockey Drayden Van Dyke made it back-to-back riding titles at Los Alamitos, wrapping up the inaugural Fall season with a Sunday double to give him the championship over runner-up Fernando Perez.

The Kentucky-born and Arkansas-raised Van Dyke, who turned 20 earlier in the month, finished with 11 victories, one more than Perez. Edwin Maldonado was third with nine wins.

Van Dyke, who won Sunday with Valdirone in the second race and Sandy’s Song in the fourth, led the Summer Thoroughbred Festival in July with 12 wins, finishing four in front of closest pursuer Joe Talamo.

 “It’s an honor to win the title here not just once, but twice,’’ said Van Dyke. “You don’t see a lot of apprentices winning titles. I want to thank my agent Sarah (Wolfe) and the owners and trainers who have put me on so many nice horses.’’

Doug O’Neill and Mike Puype shared the training title. Each won six times, one more than five Hall of Famer Bob Baffert.

Source: Los Alamitos Race Course