Laurel Park presented eight stakes races and four Starter Stakes during the Jim McKay Maryland Million Day program on Saturday with Laurel's leading jockey, Jevian Toledo, winning three stakes including the highlight of the card, the Maryland Million Classic. The panel of racing experts voted Toledo Jockey of the Week for Oct. 9 through Oct. 15.
The honor recognizes jockeys for riding accomplishments and who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 1,050 active, retired and permanently disabled jockeys in the United States.
On “Maryland's Day at the Races,” Toledo was aboard Witty for trainer Elizabeth Merryman in the Maryland Million Turf Sprint for three-year-olds and up. Off as the favorite in the field of 12, Witty raced last around the first turn while saving ground. At the quarter pole, Witty found the rail wide open and took over the leaders at the sixteenth marker to win by 1 1/4 lengths in 1:02.64 for 5 1/2 furlongs.
Trainer Gary Capuano next gave a leg up to Toledo on Intrepid Daydream in race 10, the Maryland Million Distaff. Intrepid Daydream drew into the race after several scratches. Off at even-money, Intrepid Daydream broke from the outside and raced in the clear. Into the stretch, Intrepid Daydream went four-wide sprinting clear of the leader, Response Time, to win by three lengths in 1:24.62 for seven furlongs on the main track.
“She is a really nice filly,” Toledo said. “That's three in a row. She got a great post on the outside today. There was lots of speed on the inside, so the plan was to stay close and follow them into the turn.”
The feature race, the Maryland Million Classic, had Toledo aboard the longest shot in the field, Ain't Da Beer Cold. Toledo hustled Ain't Da Beer Cold to the front from post position seven and lead the field with Market Maven a close second. Racing side-by-side down the stretch, Market Maven took the lead but floated out bumping Ain't Da Beer Cold. After an objection, Ain't Da Beer Cold was placed first. Final time was 1:52.39 for the 1 1/8-mile contest on the main track rated as good.
The win was the fourth of the day for Toledo which included a win aboard Disputed Claim in a Starter Handicap.
The win in the Maryland Million Classic was Toledo's 17th in Maryland Million history moving him into a tie with Hall of Famer Ramon Dominguez for second all-time behind fellow Hall of Famer Edgar Prado with 18 Maryland Million wins.
Toledo, 29, won his first career Grade I race on April 8 of this year in the Carter Handicap with Doppelganger at Aqueduct for trainer Brittany Russell. He won his 1,000th career race on July 24, 2020 at Laurel. One of the mid-Atlantic's leading riders, Toledo has led the jockey standings multiple times at Laurel and Pimlico.
Toledo out polled Arnaldo Bochachica with three stakes wins at Charles Town, Antonio Gallardo who won a total of nine races during the week, Gustavo Larrosa with three stakes wins at Charles Town, and Flavien Prat with a Grade 2 win at Keeneland.
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