It’s been quite a whirlwind few days for jockey Tyler Gaffalione in the hours before Saturday’s $5 million Kentucky Derby (G1) -- and Friday night’s $1.5 million Kentucky Oaks (G1).
On Thursday, Gaffalione lost his Oaks ride aboard Bella Ballerina and his Derby ride aboard Fulleffort after both were scratched with injuries. But after also-eligible Ocelli drew into the Derby, Gaffalione was named Friday to ride, replacing Joe Ramos.
In addition, Gaffalione was named to ride Nycon, who drew into the Oaks field Thursday after My Miss Mo was scratched.
On Friday morning, however, trainer Whit Beckman, who also trains Ocelli, scratched Nycon after observing “inconsistencies.”
In yet another change to the Derby field, 30-1 longshot Right to Party, trained by 2024 Derby winner Kenny McPeek, was scratched, allowing also-eligible Robusta to move into the field. Cristian Torres, who was set to ride Silent Tactic in the Derby before the colt was scratched, picks up to mount aboard Robusta, a maiden winner who ran seventh in the Santa Anita Derby (G1).
In the ever-changing world of who’s riding who in the biggest of races, there usually are some jockey changes.
For example, Irad Ortiz, Jr., the nation’s top rider, decided to stick with Renegade in the Derby, leaving trainer Brad Cox to call on Luis Saez to take over on Commandment and John Velazquez to move onto Further Ado.
Ortiz had ridden all three in Derby prep races. The three are the leading contenders in what still looks to be a 20-horse field.
Gaffalione, a 14-time leading rider at Churchill Downs, will be riding in his eighth Derby. He finished second aboard Sierra Leone in 2024, missing out on his first Derby win by a nose in a photo finish with Mystik Dan.
In Ocelli, Gaffalione will be aboard a 50-1 longshot looking for his first win – he picked up Derby points with a third-place finish in the Wood Memorial (G2). Ocelli is 0-for-6, his best placing a second in a maiden race at the Fair Grounds back in December.
Fulleffort, one of Brad Cox’s three entries (Commandment and Further Ado are the others), won the Jeff Ruby Steaks (G3) and was 20-1 before being scratched with a hind ankle chip.
Beckman told drf.com that he made the change to Gaffalione because “Tyler is the leading rider at Churchill Downs every year. He’s a top-three rider in the country. He’s ridden on this stage many times and won most of these types of races, with the exception of the Derby. That’s not a knock against the guys who were riding these horses.”
Three horses left the gate as maidens and won the Derby – Broker's Tip in 1933, Sir Barton in 1919, and Buchanan in 1884. Last year, Publisher finished 14th in the Derby as a maiden.
Richard Rosenblatt is an award-winning journalist and former Associated Press Horse Racing Editor. Currently, he serves as the news editor at US Racing, overseeing exclusive content from contributors worldwide.
