Returning Edgard Zayas: ‘I’m extremely hungry’
At 0h28, on June 22, 2022 • By GULFSTREAM
Edgard Zayas was riding a wave of momentum into the 2021-2022 Championship Meet at Gulfstream Park last December when he had to make a tough decision.
The 28-year-old South Florida-based jockey, who had enjoyed a breakout 2020-2021 Championship Meet that was followed by Spring/Summer and Fall Meet titles, opted to undergo shoulder surgery that would sideline him for the remainder of Gulfstream’s prestigious winter session.
“It was really, really frustrating, because I was expecting to have a really good Championship Meet, and it started out amazing,” said Zayas, Gulfstream’s most dominant rider for the past several years. “It was really frustrating watching horses that I was riding regularly win. It was like, ‘That could have been me.’”
Six months after undergoing shoulder surgery on his left shoulder, the Rio Grande, Puerto Rico native will return to action Friday at Gulfstream Park, where he is scheduled to ride in three races on the 10-race Happy Hour program that will get under way at 2:55 p.m.
“I’m extremely hungry, to be honest,” Zayas said. “For this meet, it’s a little late, but I’m just going try to pick up some nice babies and build up my business again and get prepared for the winter.”
Zayas, who has been galloping and breezing horses for the past few weeks, could have put off the inevitable surgery and continued riding last winter, but he is confident he made the right decision and is happy that his shoulder issues are behind him.
