Davis, Rodriguez win 2021-22 winter titles at Aqueduct
Jockey Dylan Davis captured the first riding title of his career, posting 63 wins at the 2021-22 Aqueduct winter meet that started Dec. 9 and ended Sunday.
Rudy Rodriguez paced all trainers with 33 wins, and Klaravich Stables secured the owner’s title with 10 wins.
Davis, who is represented by agent Mike Migliore, finished nine wins ahead of runner-up Trevor McCarthy and 10 clear of third-place Kendrick Carmouche.
“It’s incredible. I’m grateful and honored. I’ve worked very hard for this,” Davis said. “I’m grateful I can have this success and get one of the titles. My agent Mike works very hard behind the scenes to get me the mounts. Thanks to the owners and the trainers and everyone on the backside, especially the horses. The horses are the main thing. They are running for me and putting up performances.”
Davis, 27, a native of Manhasset, N.Y., achieved three four-win days on Jan. 23, Feb. 26 and March 26, and completed the meet with a record of 301: 63-58-36 for total purse earnings of $3,411,574.
Davis began his riding career in 2012 and earned his first win in September of that year. A six-time stakes winner this meet, Davis earned black-type victories in the Garland of Roses with Glass Ceiling, the La Verdad and Heavenly Prize Invitational with Bank Sting, the Stymie with Green Light Go and the Rego Park and Gander with Barese, whom Davis will ride in Wood Memorial (G2) on April 9.
“I’m really excited for Barese to run in the Wood,” Davis said. “He’s been on the improve and is going in the right direction. I’ve been able to get a couple good ones like Glass Ceiling for Charlie Baker, who won the Barbara Fritchie (G3) at Laurel. Green Light Go is exciting, too. I ride every race the same. The owners and trainers know I give 110 percent and try to get the best placing possible.”
Rodriguez won his second consecutive Big A winter meet title and 13th overall training title at NYRA, sending out 33 winners, eight wins more than second-place trainer Rob Atras and 13 ahead of third-place finisher Chad Brown.
Rodriguez earned top trainer honors at last year’s Big A winter meet with 36 winners and has taken home a total of 11 titles at Aqueduct.
“It’s unbelievable,” an emotional Rodriguez said. “All the credit goes to the people in the barn. Most of the people that work with me here have been with us since day 1.”
Meet highlights for Rodriguez include stakes triumphs with Magic Circle in the Busanda to put the sophomore filly on the road to the Kentucky Oaks and Wudda U Think Now in the Hollie Hughes.
Rodriguez said each of his wins this meet were memorable.
“They’re all very special,” Rodriguez said. “It’s a lot of hard work dealing with the winter cold.”
Rodriguez had a record of 151: 33-22-20 and $1,506,693 in earnings. His runners posted a win rate of 21.85 percent and a 49.67 in-the-money percentage.
Seth Klarman’s Klaravich Stables saw graded success at the Big A winter meet when Early Voting made easy work of the Withers (G3) to begin his journey down the road to the Kentucky Derby.
Klaravich Stables posted a 21: 10-2-3 record with total purse earnings of $623,160. It was a three-way tie for second between Windylea Farm with 38: 8-8-2 and $331,058, Repole Stable with 31: 8-4-2 and $292,161 and Michael Dubb with 33: 8-4-2 and $458,427.