Gaffalione, Lopez Share Jockey of the Week

Tyler Gaffalione and Paco Lopez recorded impressive victories and milestones during Keeneland's Fall Stars opening weekend. Gaffalione with two Grade I wins to earn berths in the Breeders' Cup and Lopez achieving career win 4,000 in style with a stakes race victory. The panel of racing experts rewarded both with Jockey of the Week honors for Sept. 30-Oct. 6.

The weekly honor acknowledges jockeys for significant riding accomplishments and who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 1050 active, retired and permanently disabled jockeys in the United States.

On Saturday, trainer Brendan Walsh gave a leg up to Gaffalione on East Avenue in the day's ninth race, the Gr. I Claiborne Breeders' Futurity. Off as the 5-2 second choice and breaking from post position five in the field of 11, East Avenue cleared the field heading into the first turn and never looked back rolling to a 5-1/4 length win in 1:43.17 over race favorite Ferocious who checked in second.

"I had plenty of horse left," said Gaffalione to Keeneland's publicity team. "He's pretty special. I'm really excited about him."

Riding for four-time Eclipse Award trainer Chad Brown, Gaffalione was in the irons aboard Carl Spackler (IRE) in the Gr. I Coolmore Turf Mile. Off as the favorite in the nine-horse field, Carl Spackler went straight to the front after breaking outside and made every pole a winning one for a one-length victory in 1:34.23.

"I didn't want to take too much away from my horse, so I just put my hands down and let him get comfortable," said Gaffalione. "He proved he was best today. He's a tremendous athlete."

Paco Lopez notched his 3,999th career win at Gulfstream Park on Friday. Lopez then travelled to Keeneland and won Sunday's 8th race, the Indian Summer Stakes for trainer George Weaver aboard two-year-old Governor Sam for his 4,000th career win milestone.

Reflecting on the milestone, Lopez remarked, "When you work hard, then coming to America and having the opportunity to ride here, I feel great to have that opportunity every day. Now I will try for 5,000."

Lopez, 38, won the 2008 Eclipse Award as Outstanding Apprentice and is the 84th rider to achieve 4,000 wins. He won his 11th leading rider title at the recently concluded Monmouth Park meet and currently is second in wins for 2024 behind five-time Eclipse Award winner Irad Ortiz, Jr.

No stranger to travelling, Lopez this week rides at Parx, Delaware Park, Gulfstream and Keeneland.

Other contenders for Jockey of the Week were Manny Franco with a Gr. I win at Keeneland and a Gr. III win at Belmont at the Big A, Martin Garcia with a Gr. I win at Santa Anita and Jose L. Ortiz with Gr. I and Gr. II wins at Keeneland.