Gaffalione, Ward capture Keeneland 2023 spring meet titles

Boosted by two multiple-win race days, Tyler Gaffalione recorded 21 victories to secure his second consecutive Keeneland spring meet riding title and fifth overall. Gaffalione won four races April 21 and three races April 12. He also took the Shakertown Stakes (G2) with Caravel and the Palisades Stakes aboard Gaslight Dancer.

Luis Saez won 18 races to finish second in the standings. Saez won the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) on Kentucky Derby hopeful Tapit Trice and the Transylvania Stakes (G3) aboard Mo Stash. He rode three winners April 15, including in the Lexington Stakes (G3) on First Mission, and again April 27.

Finishing in third with 14 victories was Irad Ortiz Jr., who won the Madison Stakes (G1) with Goodnight Olive, the Jenny Wiley Stakes (G1) on In Italian and the Giant’s Causeway Stakes aboard Twilight Gleaming.

Wesley Ward notched 12 wins to earn his sixth consecutive spring meet training title and ninth total. Ward, who won three races April 20, captured the Limestone Stakes with Love Reigns and won the Giant’s Causeway.

Second with 11 wins was Brad Cox, who equaled the Keeneland record for stakes wins by a trainer during a single season with four: the Beaumont Stakes (G2) with Key of Life, the Shakertown, the Lexington and the Lafayette Stakes with Corona Bolt.

Brendan Walsh, who sent out three winners April 21 and won the Elkhorn Stakes (G2) with Verstappen, was the meet’s third-leading trainer with eight wins.

Godolphin celebrated its third leading owner title at Keeneland with six meet wins that included triumphs in the Lexington and the Doubledogdare Stakes (G3) with Frost Point.

Stonestreet Stables captured five races, among them the Limestone, the Giant’s Causeway and the Lafayette, to finish second.

All-sources wagering (not including whole-card simulcasting at Keeneland) for the spring meet totaled $224,348,745, surpassing the previous record of $219,284,979 set during last year’s 15-day meet.

The spring meet marks the marks the fifth consecutive season of record wagering at Keeneland. Wagering was boosted by an all-time record Pick 6 handle of $4,788,759 on April 21. 

On-track wagering for the spring meet totaled $15,844,092 vs. last year’s $16,190,832.