HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Trainer Peter Walder extended his winning streak to seven Wednesday at Gulfstream Park, after saddling High Heater ($15) for a front-running victory in Race 2, a seven-furlong sprint for $12,000 claimers.
“Everything is clicking. The right races are coming at the right time. Horses are just doing good,” Walder said. “The game is a rollercoaster. I’m a streaky trainer to begin with. I don’t want to curse myself, but I might go 0-for-the-next month. I’ll just enjoy it while it lasts.”
Walder saddled one winner from one starter last Wednesday and last Thursday before going 3-for-3 Friday and scoring with his only starter on Saturday.
Walder’s streak of winning starters was also broken in Race 2 when stablemate Surf Shack finished second, a neck behind High Heater. However, the veteran trainer can extend a winning-races streak with Time to Two Step in Friday’s Race 2.
Gaffalione Notches Career Win No. 1500 at Gulfstream
Tyler Gaffalione has notched yet another career milestone at Gulfstream Park, where he rode his 1500th winner while guiding Awesome Pudding to a debut victory in Wednesday’s Race 4, a six-furlong dash for $50,000 maiden claimers.
The 26-year-old native of Davie, FL rode his first winner, Holdin Bullets, at Gulfstream September 7, 2014 and reached the 1000-win milestone Aboard Mission From Elle at the Hallandale Beach track Dec. 30, 2018.
Gaffalione, who won the Eclipse Award as the nation’s leading apprentice while riding full time at Gulfstream in 2015, teamed with trainer Ralph Nicks for three victories on Wednesday’s program. They scored back-to-back victories with Shoug ($5.60) in Race 3 and Awesome Pudding ($28.60) in Race 4 before winning Race 6 with Dassult Mirage ($9).
“I’ve been so fortunate during my career. I’ve always gotten tremendous support from the owners and trainers. I owe a lot to my agent Matt Muzikar. These horses keep showing up,” Gaffalione said. “I’m just living the dream.”
Tyler also holds a share of the Gulfstream Park record for most wins on a card, becoming only the second jockey with seven winners July 4, 2017. Jerry Bailey (3/11/1996), Luis Saez (1/24/2018 and 3/29/2018) and Paco Lopez (3/11/2020) have also ridden seven winners in a day.
Thursday’s Rainbow 6 Jackpot Pool Guaranteed at $300,000
The 20-cent Rainbow 6 jackpot pool will be guaranteed at $300,000 Thursday at Gulfstream Park.
The popular multi-race wager went unsolved for the second racing day since a lucky bettor broke the jackpot for $712,824.06 Saturday. Multiple tickets with all six winners were each worth $5,000.14 Wednesday.
The jackpot pool is only paid out when there is a single unique ticket sold with all six winners. On days when there is no unique ticket, 70 percent of that day’s pool goes back to those bettors holding tickets with the most winners, while 30 percent is carried over to the jackpot pool.
WHO’S HOT: Irad Ortiz Jr. reached the 100-win plateau for the Championship Meet while riding Fulmini ($6) to victory in Race 10. The two-time defending titlist also scored aboard Kate’s Kingdom ($11) in Race 1.
Gulfstream Park Press Release
Photo: Ralph Nicks and Tyler Gaffalione, (Ryan Thompson)
