HRFLA Staff Report
Antonio Gallardo won his 2,000th North American race on Wednesday, riding Do What it Takes to victory in the fourth race at Tampa Bay .Downs.
Gallardo's milestone came in dramatic fashion.
Over the final sixteenth of a mile, he and Do What It Takes battled head-to-head for the lead with Exceed the Goal and jockey Jose Batista.
The two horses hit the wire together, with the photo showing Do What It Takes as the winner by a nose.
Do What It Takes, a five-year-old mare , was timed in 1:25.81 in the seven furlong dirt race. She. was sent off at 7-2 in the $5,000 claiming race.
Do What It Takes is owned by Carole Star Stables and trained by Jose H. Delgado.
Two More Victories
Gallardo ended Wednesday with 2,002 career victories.
He won the eighth race with My Sister's Keeper for trainer Michael Dimi and the ninth and final race with Katie Scarlett for trainer Darien Rodruiguez. Both horses were sent off at 5-1.
Gallardo has 47 wins through the first 39 days of Tampa Bay 's 2020-2021 meet which has 90 days. He is in second place behind Samy Camacho who has 48 wins.
Tampa Bay is dark on Thursday. It will have nine races with first post at 12:15 p.m. Camacho has six mounts and Gallardo has five mounts.
Gallardo, a 33-year-old native of Spain, began riding in the United States in 2009.
He has ridden 837 winners at Tampa Bay Downs, where he rides regularly in its December to May meets.
Monmouth Park in Oceanport, N.J., and Presque Isle Downs in Erie, Pa., are among tracks where he has ridden during months when Tampa Bay Downs is not running.
“Tampa is home for me," Gallardo said. "It’s given me so much, and you feel great doing something like this at home,"
He added: "I'd like to thank my family, all my agents, the trainers and owners and the fans who have supported me. This is something I never thought of doing when I first came to the United States. I just have to keep going.”
Gallardo has won five races on a single card at Tampa Bay Downs a record six times. Only Richard DePass, with seven in 1980, and Edwin Gonzalez, with six in 2017, have won more races on a single Oldsmar card.
Tampa Bay Titles
Gallardo has led Tampa Bay Downs jockeys in wins five times. Only Daniel Centeno and Mike Manganello, with six apiece, have won more meeting titles at the Oldsmar, Fla., track.
Gallardo is Tampa Bay’s single-season record holder with 147 winners, set during the 2014-2015 meeting.
He has also won four riding championships at Presque Isle Downs in Erie, Pa.
He has won nine graded stakes, topped by his victory in the United Nations Stakes (Grade 1) on the turf at Monmouth Park in 2018 on Funtastic--owned by Three Chimneys Farm and trained by Chad Brown.
Gallardo’s career in the United States started slowly, with only seven winners from 175 mounts in 2009. By 2014, he was in full flight, riding 268 winners. He finished second in North America with 320 winners in 2015 and was second in 2016 with 332.
Gallardo has won five races on a single card at Tampa Bay Downs a record six times. Only Richard DePass, with seven in 1980, and Edwin Gonzalez, with six in 2017, have won more races on a single Oldsmar card.
Gallardo is one of 11 active Oldsmar jockeys with 2,000 or more victories. The others are Scott Spieth, 4,880; Jose Ferrer, 4,533; Ronnie Allen, Jr., 3,819; Daniel Centeno, 3,016; Roberto Alvarado, Jr., 2,750; Jesus Castanon, 2,610; Ricardo Feliciano, 2,288; Dean Butler, 2,287; Mike Allen, 2,099; and Huber Villa-Gomez, 2,083
