Zayas Wins Five Races at Gulfstream Park

Fresh off a three-win day Thursday, jockey Edgard Zayas made five more visits to the Gulfstream Park winner's circle Friday.

The 24-year-old native of Puerto Rico, who has been riding in South Florida since 2012, scored aboard Ranger in Paradise ($3.20) in the second race, Queen Del Valle ($4.60) in the third, Time Out of Mind ($2.80) in the fifth, Howboutwe ($4) in the sixth and Touch of Quality ($9.20) in the ninth

"I'm feeling really good. It's been a long time since I've won five races in a day," said Zayas, a finalist for the 2013 Eclipse Award for outstanding apprentice. "This is the first time since my injury that I've won five. I'm starting to get back. It took me a little while to get back on my feet, but we're getting there."

Zayas, who sustained broken ribs, a vertebra fracture, and an MCL sprain in his left knee in a May 25 spill, has won 49 races since returning to action July 16, trailing only Tyler Gaffalione (76) in the jockey standings for the Summer Meet.

"I had a lot of live mounts today. It was just a matter of them responding and me having good trips with them," Zayas said. "It worked out perfectly."

Luca Panici captured three of the remaining four races on the nine-race card, scoring aboard Our Mystical Man ($10.40) in the first, Heart Doctor ($4) in the seventh and Pop's Irish Rose ($3.20) in the ninth to push his Summer Meet win total to 41.