Tyler Gaffalione lands Derby and Oaks mounts after late scratches

Tyler Gaffalione’s Derby-week standing got a major boost when Whit Beckman moved him onto both Ocelli for the Kentucky Derby and Nycon for the Kentucky Oaks after late scratches shuffled the weekend landscape at Churchill Downs.

The switch matters because both horses drew in from the also-eligible list, turning what had been uncertain assignments into prime seats on racing’s biggest stage. Gaffalione’s original Derby mount, Fulleffort, and his original Oaks mount, Bella Ballerina, both came out because of injury, and Beckman turned to a rider who has become one of the track’s defining figures. Joe Ramos had been named on Ocelli, while Jaime Torres had ridden Nycon in all five of her starts before the change. Torres will now ride Incredibolt in the Derby.

Gaffalione’s Derby record adds another layer to the story. He is 0-for-7 in the Kentucky Derby, but he came painfully close in 2024, finishing second by a nose aboard Sierra Leone. On the Oaks side, his résumé is stronger: he won the race in 2023 aboard Pretty Mischievous. That mix of frustration and success is part of what makes his presence so meaningful on a weekend built on reputations, timing and split-second decisions.

Beckman called Gaffalione “the leading rider at Churchill Downs every year” and “a top-three rider in the country,” a fitting description for a jockey who also earned his 14th overall riding title at the track in 2026 after returning from a broken ankle. For Beckman, the move gives his stable an experienced hand in both signature races, and for fans, it sharpens the focus on how much rider confidence can shape the read on a horse before the gates even open.

The 152nd Kentucky Derby is set for Saturday, May 2, 2026, as the centerpiece of a 14-race card carrying a $5 million purse. Churchill Downs said Derby Day includes eight stakes worth $12,050,000, while Friday’s 152nd Kentucky Oaks anchors a 13-race program with seven graded stakes totaling $5.55 million. In a weekend where every slot is premium and every mount carries weight, Gaffalione’s late upgrade turns two also-eligibles into two of the most watched rides on the Churchill Downs grounds.