Jockey Tyler Gaffalione, unseated in the third race at Churchill Downs Nov. 16 when his mount Shadow Coast was jostled between horses after the start, “feels really beat up” from his fall but escaped serious injury, agent Mike Muzikar said. Gaffalione will be off his mounts Nov. 17 before intending to resume riding at Churchill Downs next week, Muzikar added.
According to Muzikar, tests for broken bones came back negative. Gaffalione had been transported to nearby University of Louisville Hospital to evaluate hip and back pain.
Valene Farm’s Shadow Coast, a first-time starter for trainer Dallas Stewart, was corralled by an outrider during the gallop out and walked off the track.
Gaffalione, 30, entered racing Saturday in second place behind Luis Saez in the rider standings at Churchill Downs, where he has 13 riding titles. The Eclipse Award-winning apprentice of 2015, Gaffalione is the third-leading rider in North America this year by earnings, with his mounts making more than $27 million, just off his personal best of almost $30 million last year. He is sixth by wins in 2024 with 227 victories from 1,345 rides through Nov. 15.
Gaffalione rides in South Florida during the winter months following the conclusion of the fall meet at Churchill Downs. He grew up in Florida and began his riding career there.
