Former Eclipse Award-winning apprentice jockey Drayden Van Dyke, a mainstay in Southern California, will move his tack to Gulfstream Park for 30 days to ride for trainer Saffie Joseph, Jr. The multiple Grade I-winning rider and his agent, Ryan Cosato, will then evaluate where Van Dyke will be based in the future.
“We'll bring him out there for about a month,” said Cosato. “If he does well, we'll go from there. There's no big announcement. We're just giving it a try.”
Van Dyke took a break from riding for a few months last fall, then returned in January at Santa Anita. He has had two winners and 13 runner-up finishes from 57 mounts.
“I've never paid too close attention,” said Joseph. “I know what he's accomplished, obviously. It just seems like he's not doing any good out there. When it gets like that, you need a change. If I can help someone get their career going, why not help someone get going?”
Van Dyke will ride debuting maiden Southern Palace (Palace Malice) in Race 3 on Friday at Gulfstream for Joseph, who also has him named on four horses both Saturday and Sunday.
“Saffie and I have a relationship from about five years back when he had some horses for Slam Dunk Racing,” said Cosato. “I worked for Slam Dunk Racing for about seven years out of college and I've been an agent for a year starting last August. Saffie reached out to me about two weeks ago and asked me if I still had Drayden's book. He said he wanted to help and wanted to bring him out there.”
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