Saturday, November 08 2008

NAPRAVNIK BACK AFTER MISSING THREE MONTHS WITH BROKEN LEG

LAUREL, MD. 11-07-08---Pound for pound jockeys could be the world’s toughest athlete. In the Maryland riding colony no one is as physically or mentally resilient as Rosie Napravnik. In the first 41 months of her career, the 20-year-old has missed 10 months of action with four major injuries. She recently returned after breaking the tibia and fibula bones in her left leg in a spill at Delaware Park three months ago.

“I honestly feel like I have not missed a beat,” said Napravnik, the 2006 Eclipse Award winning runner-up for outstanding apprentice. “I am getting really experienced at bouncing back from injuries and I feel like I never left. I worked horses for about three weeks before I rode my first race (last Saturday at Delaware Park) and was in an intense therapy program at the same time working out four hours a day-five days a week. I really worked hard getting fit and I think it has paid off.”

Friday, November 07 2008

FIND HANDICAP FEATURES TOP MARYLAND-BREDS

LAUREL, MD. 11-06-08---A sure sign the grass season at Laurel Park is drawing to a close is the scheduled running of the 1-1/8th mile $50,000 Find Handicap on Saturday. Fifteen Maryland-breds passed the entry box, including four also-eligibles.

Broadway Producer (5-2) and Dr Rico (9-2), the one-two finishers in the Maryland Million Turf on October 4, resume their rivalry. In the Million Turf, the duo drew away from the rest of the field and battled head-to-head to the finish line, with Broadway Producer prevailing by a neck.

Thursday, November 06 2008

MARYLAND VOTERS DECIDE FOR SLOTS REFERENDUM

LAUREL, MD. 11-05-08---The Maryland Jockey Club is pleased to report that on November 4, 2008 Maryland voters overwhelming approved the proposed state constitutional amendment authorizing the General Assembly to issue up to five video lottery licenses for the installation and operation of up to 15,000 video lottery terminals at five locations for the purpose of raising revenue for education. Support for the measure garnered 59% of the vote with 99% of the precincts reporting.

Laurel Park is a potential site for 4,750 machines to be located in Anne Arundel County. The Maryland Jockey Club will begin the process of applying for a license once the licensing process has been finalized.

Friday, October 31 2008

STRAIGHT TO THE WINNERS’ CIRCLE FOR MCCARRON PROTÉGÉ

LAUREL, MD. 10-30-08---Chris McCarron began his Hall Of Fame career as an apprentice sensation in Maryland in 1974. Nearly 35 years later a protégé of the legendary rider has joined the Laurel Park riding colony hoping for the same success.

Matthew Straight graduated from McCarron’s Lexington, Kentucky based North American Racing Academy in June and rode in Kentucky until through last Friday. In this afternoon’s opener in just his second mount in Maryland, the 22-year-old picked up his 19th career victory aboard Don’tmesswithrandy ($6.40) for trainer Benny Feliciano.

Sunday, October 26 2008

LYCURGUS TRIUMPHS IN MISTER DIZ STAKES

LAUREL, MD. 10-25-08---Toby Roth’s Lycurgus hadn’t raced on dirt since last spring, but when the $50,000 Mister Diz Stakes was moved to the sloppy main track from the turf, the Not For Love gelding proved the off-going is just as much to his liking.

Josue Arce kept Lycurgus wide and just off a spirited pace, then moved up effortlessly to collar the leaders and powered away to win by a length in 1:03.98 for the 5-1/2 furlong distance. Saay Mi Name started his move behind the winner, could not reach him going to the wire and finished second. Norjac, who was part of the early pace, stayed on to take third.

Friday, October 24 2008

BREEDERS’ CUP AND MISTER DIZ STAKES HIGHLIGHT SATURDAY ACTION

LAUREL, MD. 10-23-08---Laurel Park presents two fan favorites on Saturday, the full program of Breeders’ Cup World Championship races from Santa Anita and ten live races, featuring the $50,000 Mister Diz Stakes. First post at Laurel is 12 noon with the first Breeders’ Cup race set at 1:10 p.m.

The Mister Diz Stakes, a race named after a four-time Maryland-bred champion, is a 5-1/2 furlong test to be run on the turf. Twelve state-breds are entered including 6-5 morning line favorite Natural Seven from Benny Feliciano’s stable.

Saturday, October 18 2008

BALTIMORE BOB PREPS FOR FIND HANDICAP WITH ALLOWANCE SCORE

LAUREL, MD. 10-18-08---Robert Gerczak & Kaygar Stable’s Baltimore Bob turned in a workmanlike prep for next month’s $50,000 Find Handicap when he raced to victory in today’s $31,000 allowance feature on the Laurel Park turf course.

Jockey Abel Castellano was content to let his mount track Mississippi Storm to the far turn in the 1-1/8th mile test. The son of Malibu Moon responded to urging as the field circled the final turn, fought his way past the leader at the top of the stretch and quickly opened up on his nearest rivals to win by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:46.98.

Friday, October 17 2008

DALE CAPUANO TO SADDLE FIRST BREEDERS’ CUP STARTER

LAUREL, MD. 10-16-08---The pre-entries for the two-day Breeders’ Cup World Championships were announced this morning. The 25th annual event kicks off with five stakes races on Friday, October 24 with another nine added money races Saturday, October 25. Laurel Park will have special noon post time on Saturday.

Dale Capuano, who has won 30 training titles at Pimlico Race Course and Laurel Park during his career, will saddle his first Breeders’ Cup starter when Laurel Park-based Heros Reward races in the $1 million Turf Sprint in Saturday’s second race (1:50 p.m. post EST).

Friday, October 10 2008

DALE BECKNER JOINS MARYLAND RIDING COLONY

LAUREL, MD. 10-10-08---Last weekend, the Maryland jockey colony and agent Kevin Witte lost one of their top producers when Horacio Karamanos left for his native Argentina for the winter. However veteran rider Dale Beckner has arrived to fill the void.

Fresh off a riding title at Presque Isle Downs in northwest Pennsylvania where the 35-year-old won 99 races during the 101-day meet that ended September 28, Beckner made a favorable first impression with a victory aboard Juke Joint in the $150,000 Maryland Million Nursery last Saturday.

Saturday, September 27 2008

Russell Wins Four On Saturday

LAUREL, MD. 9-27-08---Neither rain nor slop nor gloom of darkness could keep apprentice Sheldon Russell from padding his lead in the jockey standings at Laurel Park. The 21-year-old won four races this afternoon.

Russell now leads all riders with 17 winners after the first month of the fall meeting. He captured races one (Latino Dancer, $13.40), seven (Melodic Escapade, $5), eight (Ju Jitsu Jax, $2.40) and ten (Little Carol E., $5.80) as rain pelted the central Maryland track in varying intensities until the final event on the ten race card.

Thursday, September 25 2008

JASON NGUYEN GETS FIRST WIN

Apprentice rider Jason Nguyen won his first lifetime race in today’s opener at Laurel Park. The 23-year-old from California sent Pride of the Fleet straight to the front in the six-furlong maiden claiming test for 2-year-olds. They opened an insurmountable lead through the turn and Nguyen kept after him to the finish line, winning by 7-1/4 lengths over Soup to Go.

“What a great feeling,” said Nguyen, who started riding in Maryland during the summer mini-meeting. “It took me awhile to get this first one but maybe it will get the ball rolling.”

MARYLAND JOCKEY CLUB SECURITY CHIEF WILLIE COLEMAN RETIRES

LAUREL, MD. 09-25-08---Willie Coleman, the Maryland Jockey Club’s Vice-President of Security, will be retiring at the end of the month after nearly 25 years with the organization. Coleman, who turned 69 on Tuesday, will celebrate his 50th wedding anniversary on October 11 in Las Vegas.

“I always hoped to make it until I was 65 years old so I could draw social security,” Coleman said. “I asked the Lord to help me raise my kids until they became grown-ups. My one daughter is a flight attendant for US Airways and the other owns a beauty salon in Baltimore so my logic was if God let me live until I was 65 and the kids are grown then why are you working? It is time to go.”