Zayas Leads Jockey Race at GP Summer Meet; Apprentice Torres ad Jaramillo are Next

By Jim Freer
(Note: Numbers in this story are from Equibase)


As the Gulfstream Park summer  meet nears its mid-point, veteran Edgard Zayas leads jockeys in wins and in purse money.

Through this past Sunday Aug.11,  Zayas has ridden 38 winners at the meet at the Hallandale Beach, Fla., track.  Sunday was the 26th  day of the 55-day summer meet that is scheduled to end on Sept. 29. 

After three dark days, Gulfstream will resume  racing on Thursday with eight races and first post of 1:15 p.m.

Apprentice Cristian Torres is second in the jockey  wins standings with 32, and  Emisael Jaramillo is third with 26.  Miguel Angel Vasquez  and Jairo Rendon are tied for fourth place at 23

Zayas, a native of Puerto Rico, is a multi-meet champion at Gulfstream.  But rather than him running away with this summer's riding  championship, we think a  tight three-way battle is more likely.

Torres, who  has a five-pound  weight allowance except in stakes races, is this season's popular " bug boy" with trainers.

He is anative of Puerto Rico and grew up in the Orando area. He began his career as a jockey   this  past  April  at  Gulfstream.
Jaramillo previously was a champion jockey in his native Venezuela. 

At Gulfstream, other than the championship meet, he almost always gets top rides. And he has a history of streaks of  days with multi-race wins at Gulfstream and at Gulfstream Park West (Calder), where Gulfstream holds a meet  each  October  and  November.

Among their accomplishments, Zayas led jockeys in wins at this  year's Gulfstream spring meet and Jaramillo led in wins at  last year's summer meet.

Through Sunday, Zayas's summer meet mounts have won a meet-leading $1,057,303.

Torres is  second with$880,060 in purses and Jaramillo is third with $765,533.

Zayas and Jaramillo have  both won on 24 percent of their summer meet rides--highest among jockeys with  ten or more starts at  the meet.  Torres has won on 19 percent of his mounts.

Zayas has finished third or better on 93 of 161 mounts--a 58 percent clip.

Torres has been in the  money on 90 of 183 mounts (49 percent). Jaramillo has been in the money on 58 of  109 mounts (53  percent).

On Thursday's card, Torres is named to ride on six mounts,  Jaramillo  is scheduled for  five mounts and Zayas is named on four.






























 streak days,

Torres began hus race ridinf carer this  April at gulfstream. He  is  a native if uerti  Rico  and grews  up kintyhe Orlando area,

Mong thheir accimlishments, JaramilLO led  in wins at  last year'sa Gulfstream summer  meet  aand zayas led in wis 

Thus a potential late met showdown is shapiong up betweeen  one of gulfstream's year-rouind top  riders and a new rising star.

Zayas led jockeys in wins atthis year's Gulfstream summer meet.

Cristain Torres, an apprentice with a five-pound weight alowanc, is second in wins with 32.  

 Torres, in his first year od riding in the United States, ios a native  f Puerto Rico who grew up in theOrlando area.

Emisael Jaramilo is tthird in summer meet wins with 26.  He lead jockeys in wins at last year's summer meet.

Miguekl Angel Vasquez and Jairo  Tendon are tied for foruth place at 23 wins n the current meet.

Horses ridden by Zayas have won $1,057,303 at the summer meet --placing him first in that category.


Trainers
SAntonio  Sano l;eads summer. trainers in wins with 17 through Sunday.

Saffie Joseph Jr. is seccon


d with 11  victories