Hall of Famer Bailey: Gaffalione 'every bit as good' as Ortiz Jr.
When retired Hall of Fame rider Jerry Bailey was asked what Tyler Gaffalione must do to rise to the level of Irad Ortiz, Jr., two-time reigning Eclipse Award winner as leading jockey in North America, his answer was startling.
“He hasn’t had the number of opportunities like Irad Ortiz because he doesn’t ride for Chad Brown, but he’s every bit as good,” Bailey said. “I would defy anybody to tell me why he is not.”
The benefits of riding for Brown, coming off a fourth successive Eclipse as leading trainer, are reflected in Ortiz’s record purse earnings of $34,109,019. Ortiz also earned a second consecutive Bill Shoemaker Award as the top rider at the Breeders’ Cup, producing four victories at Santa Anita capped by Vino Rosso’s Classic triumph.
Gaffalione’s purse earnings have jumped every season since he took home an Eclipse as leading apprentice in 2015. He ranked 10th nationally last year with $15,201,206, buoyed by his first Triple Crown victory aboard War of Will in the Preakness. He still seeks his first Breeders’ Cup win after placing second with Got Stormy in the Mile, third in the Filly & Mare Sprint with Dawn the Destroyer and third in the Juvenile Turf with Gear Jockey last November.
Bailey insists that Gaffalione, two years younger than Ortiz at 25, should be ranked among the premier riders in the country.
“I will tell you right now in my era, this era, it doesn’t matter the era, the difference between the top five or six guys, maybe 10, is so minute,” said Bailey, an NBC analyst. “It depends on who they’re on and the confidence level they have at that period of time.”
Gaffalione, from Davie, Fla., played the role of hometown hero when he recently added to his Preakness triumph with a masterful ground-saving ride aboard 11-1 Zulu Alpha in the $1 million Pegasus Turf at Gulfstream Park. He was gratified to hear of Bailey’s praise.
“Given the opportunity, I would like to think I can ride with anybody,” he said. “Not saying anything against anybody, that’s just my competitiveness. I like to be mentioned among those guys.”
Gaffalione’s father and grandfather were jockeys. He is not afraid to think big.
“I would love to win a Kentucky Derby. To win an Eclipse Award would be amazing,” he said. “Those definitely are goals of mine, but those are long term. Each year we try to set goals for ourselves and accomplish those and just try to keep building.”
Undoubtedly, Gaffalione is enjoying a rapid ascent with the guidance of agent Matt Muzikar, who pushed him to venture beyond Gulfstream. In 2019, Gaffalione finished second in the jockey standings at Keeneland’s spring and fall meets, totaling 14 victories each meet. He counted two graded stakes among 12 wins in his first full-time venture to Saratoga. He registered 24 wins and approximately $1.5 million in earnings at Churchill Downs last autumn.
“It’s always good to get them experience riding at different tracks with multiple riders,” Muzikar said. “We’re just trying to get his name out there and, obviously, we’ve been successful.”
Gaffalione met Bailey, his boyhood idol, a few years ago. Bailey has developed into a mentor to a young rider who pays as much attention to detail as he did when he fashioned a legendary career.
“Jerry is a great guy and he’s been so helpful to me,” Gaffalione said. “Actually, for the Preakness, I gave him a call before the race and kind of went over strategy with him.”
Bailey sometimes sends Gaffalione congratulatory texts or texts that point out the nuances of riding at certain tracks.
Gaffalione welcomes criticism, saying, “You’re never really happy where you’re at. I wish I could do things better. I watch replays constantly. I’m always trying to make myself better.”
If the flow of texts slows this season, it is only because Bailey feels sure that Gaffalione is ready to soar.
“He doesn’t panic," Bailey said, "and the largeness of the moment doesn’t bother him in the least."