Attitude adjustment drives Dylan Davis’s recent improvement
Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
The mental aspect can mean so much to a jockey’s success. In Dylan Davis’s case, perhaps it means everything.
The son of former New York rider Robbie Davis admits a lack of confidence hurt him in the early stages of his career. Now, he said he has come far in believing that “pretty much the world can’t stop you.”
Results speak to the 29-year-old jockey’s transformation. With 15 victories at Saratoga after Sunday’s win aboard The Queens M G in the Grade 3 Adirondack Stakes Sunday for trainer Saffie Joseph Jr., his second with the filly after capturing the Schuylerville at 44-1, he is tied with Manny Franco for fourth in the standings. With a chunk of the meet remaining, the Saratoga Springs High School graduate is only four wins shy of the personal high he set last summer.
His efforts to convince some of the nation’s leading trainers that he can compete with the elite are paying off. He has capitalized on opportunities from Chad Brown, Todd Pletcher, Mark Casse, Mike Maker and Ray Handal during the early stages of the meet.
Michael Migliore, his agent since their first full season together in 2017, is over the moon about his client’s ascent. “You know what it’s like getting a call from Chad Brown, Todd Pletcher, ‘Are you open in this spot?’ ” he asked. “Unbelievable.”
Those kinds of calls were once pretty much unthinkable. Despite receiving tremendous advice from his father, Davis acknowledged that his mindset was lacking early in his career.
“I guess the first few years in New York could be intimidating because you are riding with the best riders in the country,” he said. “When you’re not riding the best horses, you could always second guess or take the negative side of it. You’re just not riding your best because you are thinking about the other riders or making premature moves.”
Migliore recognized considerable potential but also that there was an equal amount of work to be done. “Pretty much he was getting knocked around out there, taking back,” the agent said. “You’ve got to put a horse in the game. You put a horse in the game and they get confidence.”
Migliore’s brother Richard, who had been a successful rider in New York, began to mentor Davis. According to Davis, the most important lesson he learned was the need to allow his mount to find a comfortable stride in order to pack a punch at the finish.
Davis once was shy about approaching owners and trainers for work. Michael Migliore all but pushed him into the barns.
“You start building confidence and building relationships with trainers and owners, and slowly your stock gets better,” Davis said.
He made a major breakthrough when he piloted his first Grade 1 winner, Mutamakina, in the E.P. Taylor Stakes at Woodbine for trainer Christophe Clement in October 2021. Clement gave him another big opportunity with Carson’s Run in the Summer Stakes last September at Woodbine. Davis brought that one home, too. He rode for the first time at Meydan Racecourse in March in the Dubai World Cup (G1) and UAE Derby (G2).
Davis has never felt more positive about his riding ability and where it can take him. “You start nailing some of these guys on the wire and you start to figure out, ‘I can beat these guys,’ ” he said. “Once you get that in your head, pretty much the world can’t stop you.
“I’ve beaten every guy in this jocks’ room, noses, head bobs. I’ve had gallop jobs, winning by poles. I’ve been through it with everybody. I know I can beat them when the time is right.”
Davis is keenly aware of the immense challenges ahead. He has yet to land a big horse. Like every other rider in the land, he searches constantly for a high-caliber 2-year-old who can take him to Triple Crown races.
“Right now, the goal is to be riding regularly in graded-stakes races. I think it’s a very realistic goal, and we’re very, very close,” he said, recognizing how far he has come but also how much ground is left to cover.