Dylan Davis secures his first Grade 1 aboard Carson’s Run in the Saratoga Derby (Chelsea Durand)
Franco, Rice Lead Aqueduct Fall Meet
Mary Eddy/NYRA Press Office
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Dylan Davis paced all riders to secure top honors as the leading rider at the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) with 209 wins across the circuit’s six race meets in 2024.
Davis, 30, celebrated a career-best year as he secured his second year-end title at NYRA, adding to a 2022 season that saw him win 186 races. This year, Davis, who is represented by agent Mike Migliore, scored a pair of meet titles at the Aqueduct winter [54] and Belmont at the Big A fall [44] meets.
“It means a lot. Me and Mike put in a lot of work, day in and day out and year in and year out, on the NYRA circuit,” Davis said. “We have a lot of support from all the horsemen and owners to ride their amazing horses. I feel I’ve been improving as a rider and getting better every year. It’s great to have that recognition and to have this accomplishment to be the NYRA year-end leading jock. I know it’s my second one, but it feels really good.”
Among Davis’s 23 stakes wins were 10 graded events, led by a Grade 1 win with Carson’s Run in the Saratoga Derby Invitational at Saratoga Race Course, and Grade 2 wins in the Woodward with Tapit Trice and Fort Marcy with Master Piece at the Big A. Davis also scored at the Grade 3 level in the Distaff [Shidabhuti], Lake George [Pounce], Adirondack [The Queens M G], Fasig-Tipton Jockey Club Oaks Invitational [Beautiful Love], Jockey Club Derby Invitational [Carson’s Run], Matron [Abientot] and Knickerbocker [Andthewinneris].
Davis said one of the most meaningful times of his year came at the Saratoga meet, where he tied with Tyler Gaffalione to finish third in the standings with 36 wins.
“Everything came together at Saratoga. I feel I’ve always been riding well, but we really capitalized on the opportunity with good riding and the horses being ready,” Davis said. “Saratoga is the place where you want to really shine and to finish third at the premier meet was a big accomplishment and I think it opened up the eyes of a lot of owners and trainers that my riding ability has stepped up. It really continued through the fall and the quality of horses has been improving and I’m really thankful for that.”
Davis’ Saratoga meet was highlighted by his first American Grade 1 win with Carson’s Run in the Saratoga Derby. The two teamed up again in the fall to win the Grade 3 Jockey Club Derby at Belmont at the Big A.
“Carson’s Run winning the Saratoga Derby was really special. It was my first Grade 1 win in the states and with Saratoga being my hometown it’s definitely one I won’t forget,” said Davis, who grew up in Saratoga Springs and is the son of multiple Grade 1-winning jockey Robbie Davis.
This year, Davis and top Eclipse Award candidate Flavien Prat were stationed close together in the jockeys’ room, an experience Davis said proved beneficial.
“I’ve always watched Flavien, but now that I’m on the same bench as him I was able to communicate with him a lot more and see how he handles things and presents himself,” Davis said. “He’s in the running for the Eclipse and being able to be next to a rider like him, I learned a lot about how he rides races. We really communicated. He’ll ask me questions; I’ll ask him questions and we grew together. To be able to communicate with a rider that’s very successful helped – I have my father, of course, to talk to, but Flavien is in the game and a really nice person.”
Davis finished the year with a NYRA record of 1,091-209-165-140 and earnings of $15,349,606, good for a win rate of 19.16 percent and in-the-money rate of 47.11 percent.
“My wife Sara and my two kids keep me pushing harder and trying to make a better life for everybody,” Davis added.
Manny Franco claimed second in the year-end standings with 196 wins while Kendrick Carmouche finished third with 152 wins.
Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown continued his dominance on the NYRA circuit to secure his ninth year-end training title with 146 wins. Brown, 46, captured three meet titles this year at Belmont at the Big A spring [32 wins], Saratoga [45 wins] and a 13th consecutive Belmont at the Big A fall [31 wins].
Among Brown’s 27 graded wins on the NYRA circuit this year were a bevy of Grade 1 victories with Chancer McPatrick [Champagne, Hopeful], Carl Spackler [FanDuel Fourstardave H.], Domestic Product [H. Allen Jerkens], Raging Sea [Personal Ensign], Ways and Means [Test presented by Ticketmaster], Whitebeam [Diana], Randomized [Ogden Phipps presented by Ford] and Chili Flag [Just a Game].
In total, Brown posted a record of 574-146-96-77 with $15,881,246 in purse earnings for a win rate of 25.44 percent and in-the-money percentage of 55.57.
Linda Rice finished second with 121 wins with Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher finishing third with 67 wins.
The year’s leading owner, Seth Klarman’s Klaravich Stables, secured its sixth consecutive year-end title with 63 victories. Klaravich Stables posted an overall record of 224-63-37-26 with total purses of $5,957,965.
Klaravich Stables and Brown teamed up for 12 stakes wins this year at NYRA, including Grade 1 scores with Randomized in the Ogden Phipps, Ways and Means in the Test and Domestic Product in the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial, that latter two a pair of homebreds sired by Klaravich color-bearer Practical Joke.
Klaravich Stables notched additional graded wins in the Grade 2 Glens Falls [McKulick], Grade 2 Gallant Bloom [Ways and Means], Grade 2 Flower Bowl [Idea Generation], Grade 3 Sheepshead Bay [Royalty Interest] and Grade 3 Dwyer [Domestic Product].
Michael Dubb finished second with 38 wins while Linda Rice finished third with 34 wins.
Manny Franco came out on top as the leading rider at the Aqueduct fall meet, scoring 34 wins as part of a strong meeting that included six stakes wins in the Forever Together [Venencia], Listed Central Park [Jack and Jim], NYSSS Staten Island [Golden Rocket], Listed Fall Highweight [Giant Mischief], NYSSS Great White Way [Sacrosanct] and Alex M. Robb [Bank Frenzy].
Additionally, Franco posted a five-win day on November 23. The quintet of wins came from six mounts on the nine-race card and included his win in the NYSSS Staten Island aboard Golden Rocket.
“I feel blessed to have these opportunities for all the trainers, all of the owners, here in New York, all year round. My agent, John Panagot, has been doing a terrific job,” Franco said. “I’ve been winning a lot of races here, so winning the title is just amazing. I feel great about that.”
Franco’s Big A fall meet victory adds to two other meet titles this year at NYRA, including the Aqueduct spring [28 wins] and Belmont at the Big A spring/summer [41 wins] meets. Franco, who was also NYRA’s year-end leading rider in 2018-19 and 2023, posted a meet record of 143-34-24-16 with earnings of $2,327,063, good for a win rate of 23.78 percent and in-the-money percentage of 51.75.
Dylan Davis finished second with 32 wins with Jose Lezcano finishing third with 21 wins.
Trainer Linda Rice secured her third consecutive Aqueduct fall meet training title with 22 wins, her third training title this year after taking the Aqueduct winter [23 wins] and Aqueduct spring [18 wins] meets.
“I’m happy to have won this title three years in a row, that’s good,” Rice said. “Hopefully we can keep moving forward and have a good winter meet. We have about 80 horses and it’s a lot of work and we always have horses coming in and out – horses always need time, but it’s a good number to work with.”
Rice, 60, saw her 22 wins led by New York-bred juvenile filly With the Angels’ score in the Key Cents on November 17. Other standouts for Rice were talented sophomore El Grande O and graded stakes-placed Movie Moxy, who each posted strong optional claiming victories at the meet.
Rice said she is looking forward to the future with the promising With the Angels.
“We gave her some time off and we’re really excited about her 3-year-old campaign,” Rice said. “We took the less aggressive approach hoping she’ll mature into a great 3-year-old, so our fingers are crossed that’s going to happen.”
Rice completed the meet with a record of 103-22-15-22 and earnings of $1,341,177, good for a win rate of 21.36 percent and in-the-money rate of 57.28 percent. Rick Dutrow, Jr. finished second with 16 wins and Brad Cox finished third with 11 wins.
Sanford Goldfarb clinched the owners’ title at the Big A fall meet with eight wins. Goldfarb’s wins were highlighted by a pair of scores by Cumberland Blues and a dominant allowance victory by Kid’s Last Laugh on November 17.
Goldfarb completed the meet with a 22-8-3-3 record and $308,809 in earnings. Gatsas Stables finished second [seven wins] with Linda Rice and Winning Move Stable finishing in a tie for third [five wins].
Live racing resumes Wednesday at the Big A with an eight-race card for Opening Day of the Aqueduct winter meet. First post is 12:40 p.m. Eastern.
