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Delaware: Leading Jockey Carol Cedeno Chasing Record Seventh Title

Three-time defending leading rider Carol Cedeno will be taking a run at history when the 84th live racing season at Delaware Park begins on May 26. The Delaware resident will be going for a record seventh leading jockey title at the Stanton-oval.

Since 2014, the native of Puerto Rico has been the leading jockey every season with the exception of 2017. She is currently tied with another Delaware Park legend Michael McCarthy who won six titles from 1996 through 2000 and 2002.

“I live only about a half-hour from the track and I raise my family in Delaware, so Delaware Park is home to me,” said Carol Cedeno, who is the mother of two children. “I work hard every day to make sure I can be my best for the season at Delaware Park and I take a lot of pride in being the leading rider. Every year it has been hard to be the leading rider and this may be the toughest year because I hear there are a good number of talented jockeys coming, so that just means I will be working a little harder.”

Cedeno has rewritten the Delaware Park history book on a number of other occasions.

She notched seven victories on a single card on July 11, 2018, breaking a record that had stood for more than six decades and was held by six riders. The jockeys who won six races on a single Delaware Park card were Joseph Rocco, Jr., in 2011; Michael McCarthy, who accomplished the feat twice—once in 1997 and again in 1998; Jimmy Edwards, in 1984; Greg McCarron, in 1974; George Cusimano, in 1968; and Eldon Nelson in 1958.

“To be mentioned with those kind of riders makes me extremely happy,” said Cedeno, who notched her 1,000th career victory at Laurel Park on Jan. 2. “Those are some of the best riders in racing, and to be in a group like that is special. I know to keep having success I need to keep working hard. But I love what I do and I love getting up in the morning to go to work at Delaware Park, so I am hoping I can do more.”

Cedeno has nearly 450 career victories at Delaware Park.

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Veteran Always Sunshine Runs ‘A Monster Race’ Off 541-Day Layoff

It was only about an hour before sunset when the sunshine blazed forth on a late winter afternoon at Laurel Park.

Always Sunshine, a Florida homebred of Gil Campbell's Stonehedge LLC trained by Pimlico Race Course-based septuagenarian Edward T. 'Ned' Allard, made his triumphant 9-year-old debut Jan. 24 off a 541-day gap between races.

Guided by jockey Carol Cedeno, his regular rider since the spring of 2019, Always Sunshine recovered from a slight outward bobble at the start of the 5 ½-furlong optional claiming allowance for 4-year-olds and up to press Stroll Smokin into the stretch. It wasn't until midway through the lane when the West Acre gelding out of the Awesome Again mare Sunny Again was able to clear the favored pacesetter and edge away to a 1 ¼-length victory.

“Carol knows the horse real well. She's ridden him a number of times. He can go to the lead if you want him to, but he seems like he runs a much better race if you let him get his act together, and he always fires big if you have him in a good spot,” Allard said.

“Around the sixteenth pole I thought, 'We're not going to get by this gray horse.' I said to Carol afterwards, 'I was afraid you wouldn't get by that horse,' and she said, 'I really hadn't asked him yet,'” he added. “She had a ton of confidence in him.”

It was the 11th career win from 31 starts dating back to his rookie season of 2015 for Always Sunshine, who boosted his bankroll past $650,000. It may have been one of the most satisfying of 2,724 career wins for the 75-year-old Allard, a New England native best known for his work with Hall of Famer Mom's Command.

“I didn't want to start him off in a stake after a year and a half and being a 9-year-old. I wanted to try to find something a little softer, and I thought that was a pretty good spot,” Allard said. “Although, it was still a very competitive spot and he still needed to come up with a good race to beat those horses, which he did. So, I was tickled pink.”

Always Sunshine hadn't raced since earning his fifth career stakes victory in the Senator Robert C. Byrd Memorial Aug. 3, 2019 at Mountaineer. It came just over a year after capturing the Tale of the Cat at Saratoga and well after earning his first-ever stakes triumph in the 2015 Dave's Friend at Laurel. Always Sunshine became a graded winner in the 2016 Maryland Sprint (G3) on the undercard of the 141st Preakness (G1).

“In September of 2019, instead of going to the Tale of the Cat which we had won the year before, I thought the Tale of the Cat came up a lot tougher than the year that I won it,” Allard said. “So, I chose to go for a little less money at Mountaineer. He won very nicely with Carol on him. He came out of the race not 100 percent sound, but nothing major. We couldn't find anything on X-rays, we couldn't really find anything on an ultrasound, but he was definitely off.

“We gave him some time off and put him back in training and the same thing cropped up on him again,” he added. “So, we gave him practically a year off on Mr. Campbell's farm in Williston, Florida and put him back in training. He's been in training for the last five months and he's been training super, so I was real pleased.”

The final time for Always Sunshine's comeback victory was 1:02.91, three-fifths of a second off the Laurel track record of 1:02.20 set in October 2018 by 6-year-old Siralfredthegreat.

“He just needed some time off. It wasn't really a big deal,” Allard said. “He seemed to come out of his race really well.”

The decision on what's next for Always Sunshine will be left up to the horse, Allard said. Laurel's $250,000 General's Stake (G3) at seven furlongs is Feb. 13, a span of just three weeks. The next open stake for older sprinters in Maryland is the $100,000 Frank Whiteley, also going seven furlongs, April 17.

“That's a good question. As a 9-year-old you have to be a little more careful. We'll just have to see how it plays out. Who knows. I might be back in again for [$50,000]; then again maybe we'll look for a stake,” Allard said. “He just ran a monster race, and I haven't completely swallowed it yet. I was hoping he'd run really well and I thought that he would but you still have to go out there and prove it. So often, we're wrong a lot more than we're right, that's for sure.”

Allard, inducted into the New England Turf Writers' Hall of Fame in 2009, has been thrilled with his decision to stable at Pimlico after spending last winter in Tampa, Fla. Based at Delaware Park from spring to early fall, he has two wins, one second and two thirds in five 2021 starts, all at Laurel.

“When Delaware closed, I thought the logical spot was to go to Maryland,” Allard said. “I started in 1970 and I think I've won over 150 stakes and I don't know how many stakes I've won in Maryland, but Maryland has always been very good to me. I'm there and I'm happy and things are going well.”

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‘Never Give Up’: Jockey Carol Cedeno Rides 1,000th Career Winner

Newtown Anner Stud Farm's Perpetrate emerged from a three-way photo finish a head in front of Hard Sting to give jockey Carol Cedeno her 1,000th career victory Saturday at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md.

A New York-bred son of Distorted Humor racing for the first time for trainer Miguel Vera, Perpetrate ($9.60) ran one mile in 1:39.59 over a muddy and sealed main track in the claiming event for 4-year-olds and up for her second win in six lifetime starts.

Earlier on Saturday's program, the 31-year-old Cedeno finished second by a neck as the favorite aboard Kieron Magee owned-and-trained Halfinthewrapper in Race 2, a 5 ½-furlong claiming sprint.

“I'm so happy because not too many girls from Puerto Rico come here and do good,” Cedeno said. “When I came to the U.S., everybody gave me a hand and I appreciate that. Everybody helped me, the trainers and owners. Everybody was happy with my job and they keep helping me. Thank God I'm doing good.”

Cedeno had limited exposure to horses growing up in Puerto Rico before attending jockey school, coming to the U.S. shortly after graduating at the age of 18. She rode five winners at El Commandante – renamed Hipodromo Camarero in 2007 – prior to her arrival, making her mainland debut April 9, 2007, at Philadelphia Park.

It was at Philadelphia Park April 24, 2007, where Cedeno registered her first career victory aboard Coco's Gold, a 4-year-old filly trained by Keith LeBarron. Cedeno finished her rookie season with 120 wins from 989 mounts, both career highs.

The mother of two children, ages 11 and 8, Cedeno has made the occasional return to ride in Puerto Rico, as recently as last March, when she won aboard New Year Express at Camarero.

“I know they are watching me. It's hard because I want to spend more time with my kids,” Cedeno said. “My mom, she helps me. They're getting big and they ask me all the time to be with them, and I try to do my best.”

Cedeno settled Perpetrate between horses in the backstretch as Classy Solution and Company Clown battled for the lead through splits of 24.16 and 47.70 seconds. Perpetrate began moving up on the far turn and straightened for home with work to do, but came with a steady run through traffic to edge Hard Sting along the rail and Martini Lane on her outside for the win.

Jockey Julian Pimentel, aboard sixth-place finisher Lasting Image, lodged an objection against Perpetrate for interference in the stretch, but the claim was dismissed following a stewards' inquiry.

A multiple graded-stakes placed jockey, Cedeno set a career high with $2,818,981 in purse earnings in 2020, reaching triple digits in wins for the fourth time (112), all in the last five years. She finished tied for fifth at Laurel's truncated winter meet with 19 wins from 83 mounts.

Cedeno is a six-time leading rider at Delaware Park, tying Michael McCarthy – father of five-time Maryland riding champion Trevor McCarthy – for the most in track history. She has finished first in 2014, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2019 and 2020, ranking second in 2017.

On July 11, 2018, Cedeno set a Delaware Park record with seven winners on a 10-race card. The previous mark had stood for more than six decades and was shared by six previous riders.

Among the best horses Cedeno has ridden are 2019 First State Dash winner Golden Candy, multiple stakes winner Speechifying, 2009 Violet (G2) runner-up Always for Love and stakes-placed Maryland-bred Dancer's Melody.

“Just working hard, never give up,” Cedeno said of the secret to her success. “Sometimes you have bad moments. Never give up, just keep working hard and coming back.”

Notes: Five-pound apprentice Alexander Crispin tripled Saturday aboard Paisley Singing ($16) in Race 2, Blue Sky Painter ($6.40) in Race 6 and Feature Act ($8.40) in Race 7 … Bruno Mathias' 3-year-old Empire Maker colt Eric's Empire ($19.40), winless in four starts at 2, sprung an 8-1 upset of Saturday's opener, a one-mile maiden special weight for sophomores. The winning time was 1:41.30 … There will be carryovers of $1,700.18 in the 20-cent Rainbow 6 (Races 4-9) and $537.34 in the $1 Super Hi-5 (Race 1) for Sunday's nine-race program that begins at 12:25 p.m. Tickets with four of six winners in Saturday's Rainbow 6 returned $191.56.

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Delaware Park Shows Increases In Average Handle, Starters During 2020 Meet

Despite a reduction in live race dates and significant safety protocols for live on-track patrons, horsemen and employees due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 live race meet at Delaware Park concluded on positive notes on Saturday, Oct. 17.

The 83rd season of live racing was originally scheduled to have 85-days beginning on May 27 and ending on Oct. 31, but because of the pandemic the meet was reduced by 20-days with opening day on June 17.

The 65-day season had increases in average handle per race and average starters per race. In 2020, the average handle per race was $167,192 with average starters per race of 7.52 and in 2019, the average handle per race was $157,640 with average starters per race of 6.56. There were 556 races compared to 661 in 2019. Total handle was $92,958,696 compared to the $104,200,290 from last year's 81-day meet.

“Without a doubt, this was one of the most challenging meets I can remember, but in many ways, it was also one of the most rewarding,” said Kevin DeLucia, Senior Vice President of Racing/Finance, who has been at Delaware Park for 24 years. “We were one of the first tracks and sporting venues to allow fans and we did so from the beginning of the meet until the end without incident. While we successfully negotiated all of the safety protocols and restrictions, we experienced increases in average handle and starters per race. None of these accomplishments would have been possible without the cooperation and support of the fans, employees, Delaware Thoroughbred Horsemen Association and the Delaware Thoroughbred Racing Commission.”

For the sixth time in seven years, Carol Cedeno was the leading jockey with 84 victories. The native of Puerto Rico, who lives in Delaware, has been the leading rider at Delaware Park every year since 2014, with the exception of 2017. She equaled the record for most titles by a jockey set by Michael McCarthy, who won six from 1996 through 2000 and 2002. Cedeno, concluded the meet 11 wins away from her 1,000th career victory (through October 21). Nearly 500 of those wins have been at Delaware Park.

“It really is overwhelming,” said jockey Carol Cedeno, who set the record for most wins in a day at Delaware Park in 2018 when she rode seven on a single card. “I am honored to be included in the group of the all-time great jockeys in Delaware Park history. There are some big names on that list and for my name to be among them at my hometown track is very humbling. We all work very hard at what we do and I am lucky that my hard work and sacrifices have resulted in these achievements.”

Jamie Ness recorded his sixth consecutive leading trainer championship by saddling 52 winners. The native of Heron, South Dakota, is one title shy of equaling the record for most consecutive trainer titles set by Delaware Park legends Grover 'Buddy' Delp from 1963 through 1969 and Scott Lake from 2002 through 2008. This is the eighth overall title for Ness. He has also been leading trainer in 2012 and 2013 and from 2015 through 2019. The record for most titles by a trainer is eleven also set by Grover “Buddy” Delp.

Jagger Inc. won the leading owner title by recording 25 wins.

The brilliant filly Dunbar Road won the Delaware Handicap with Irad Ortiz, Jr. aboard on July 11th. Owned by Peter M. Brant, the daughter of Quality Road posted a 3-length victory in the filly and mare summer classic. The Kentucky-bred is conditioned by Chad Brown. Otter Bend Stables' Gufo won the Kent Stakes with Trevor McCarthy aboard on July 4. The son of Declaration of War trained by Christophe Clement notched a half-length win and followed with a second in the Saratoga Derby on Aug. 15 and a victory in the Belmont Derby on Oct. 3.

“The racing at the meet was exciting and competitive from the beginning to the end,” said John Mooney, the Executive Director of Racing. “I could not be happier. Between our big race days and the race for leading jockey, trainer and owner, every live race day had something special. We are very much looking forward to seeing how horses like Dunbar Road and Gufo do in the race for national divisional championships. We could not be happier for Carol Cedeno and Jamie Ness as they are continuing the rich tradition of top and first class jockeys and trainers at Delaware Park.”

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