HALLANDALE BEACH - Jockey David Egan made a winning return to Gulfstream Park Thursday after spending two weeks back in Europe, guiding Lea Farms’ Never Count Me Out ($4) to a popular victory in Race 4.

    The 26-year-old Irish-born and Great Britain-based jockey, has ridden at Gulfstream during Europe’s offseason the past few years, notched his 18th winning ride of the Championship Meet aboard the Jorge Delgado-trained 3-year-old Tacitus colt in the 5-furlong, $35,000 maiden claiming race. Making his second career start, Never Count Me Out stumbled early before making a four-wide sweep to the lead and drawing off to win by five lengths.

    “This horse definitely wants longer,” Egan said. “The first jump was quick. The second step out of the gate he stumbled and went to his head, and I had to rush him down the backstretch, which was not ideal. But he’s was much the best. He’s a big strong horse.”

    Egan, the multiple Group 1 stakes-winning former British champion apprentice, is under contract with European sports agent Kia Joorabchian’s AMO Racing.

    “I was back in the U.K., riding some horses on the track. We have a lot of young horses coming through, so I was over there to breeze them at the farms,” Egan said. “It’s an important time of year getting these horses ready.”

    Egan has a busy riding schedule this weekend with six mounts today, 11 on Saturday’s 14-race Coolmore Fountain of Yout Day card, and nine on Sunday.

    “I’m here all of this week and next week anyway,” Egan said. “I’ve got some nice rides – a nice filly, Domino Vitali, for Jorge again for AMO Racing. I have lots of rides on Saturday, Fountain of Youth Day, not in the big one, but I’m in nearly all the other races.”

Champion Apprentice Moran Rides at Gulfstream Sunday

    Pietro Moran, who won the 2025 Outstanding Apprentice Eclipse Award, will begin riding at Gulfstream Sunday.

    The 20-year-old Irish-born jockey, whose meet-leading 140 wins at Woodbine included a $1 million King’s Plate victory aboard Mansetti, has been named on a pair of 3-year-old maidens by Canadian trainer Rachel Halden. He has the mounts on Magical Factor in Race 8, a 1 1/8-mile maiden special weight on turf, and Just In Touch in Race 11, a 1 1/8-mile maiden special weight race on turf for fillies.

    “I’ll ride here until April and head back to Woodbine,” said Moran, who lived in Ireland for six years before moving with his family to Canada. “I’m here for the experience. It’s a good room with a lot of good riders I can learn from and a lot of good trainers and owners.”

    Moran no longer qualifies for the five-pound apprentice allowance.

    “I’ve been very fortunate so far. I’ve had a lot of opportunities and support, and I hope to keep it going,” Moran said.

          

         

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