Tag: People

Angel Cruz won twice on Saturday's closing day program to tie his protégé, 19-year-old apprentice Jeiron Barbosa, and share Laurel Park's fall meet riding title, while Brittany Russell capped her historic year by leading the trainer standings for a third time this year.

It is the first career riding title for Cruz, 27, who won five races over closing weekend to finish in a dead heat with Barbosa at 44 wins. Cruz's wins Saturday came with No Me Digas ($19) in the opener and Quick Tempo ($6.40) in Race 6.

Barbosa, a contender for the Eclipse Award as North America's leading apprentice of 2022, earned his third meet title in Maryland following Laurel spring and historic Pimlico Race Course's boutique fall stand.

Both riders, represented by agent Tom Stift, are natives of Puerto Rico. Cruz first became acquainted in Puerto Rico with Barbosa, whose sister is best friends with Cruz's wife.

“Angel is the reason at Jeiron became a jockey. They've been talking about it for a month. They wanted to finish 1-2 [in the standings], and it worked out even better,” Stift said.

“When [Barbosa] was still in Puerto Rico, Angel asked me to take his book so it was all Angel's idea. I was like, 'You don't want me to take a bug boy because if he's any good, he'll take all your business,'” he added. “And Angel was like, 'I don't care. He's family, so let's help him out.'”

Barbosa launched his pro career Jan. 1 in Puerto Rico and won three of 72 races before coming to the U.S. Just two days after arriving, he earned his first domestic wins on each of his first two mounts – Heliacial Rising and Ludicrous Mode – March 25. Barbosa picked up his first career stakes win with Music Amore in Laurel's Searching Aug. 6.

Cruz, who grew up with Eclipse Award-winning brothers Irad Ortiz Jr. and Jose Ortiz, came to the U.S. at age 11. He won his first race April 8, 2014 at Charles Town and was a finalist for the 2014 Eclipse Award as champion apprentice.

During the fall meet Cruz won the Twixt with Battle Bling, the James F. Lewis III with Recruiter, the Howard and Sondra Bender Memorial with Alwaysinahurry, Maryland Juvenile Fillies and Gin Talking with Malibu Moonshine and Dave's Friend with Factor It In.

“It feels great to share the title with my brother. I brought him here. I was his mentor coming from Puerto Rico. Not knowing English, coming here to conquer like he did is a great accomplishment,” Cruz said. “I've known him since he was 8. He's seen me ride since I started, and he looked up to me.

“I looked out for him since the Day he got here. It's such a blessing to share it with him. It was hard. It wasn't easy, but we made it happen on the last day,” he added. “That's the thing with this game. If you work hard, you get winners. That's how you have to do it. If you work hard, you're going to be good and that's what he's done. He listens to me, and he's done a good job.”

Barbosa finished with the second-most wins at Laurel and Pimlico this year, trailing only Jevian Toledo, while Cruz finished fourth overall.

“He's really happy. He was blessed this year,” Cruz said. “He's going to go to the Eclipse Awards if he wins it. To come from Puerto Rico not speaking English and to win three titles is a great accomplishment for him. It's been a great year. We've been blessed with Tom Stift. He's done a great job.”

Russell had one winner over closing weekend and held off Jamie Ness, who won three times, to finish with a 29-24 advantage. Previously this year, she won Laurel's spring meet and tied for the lead at the Preakness Meet at Pimlico.

Married to champion jockey Sheldon Russell, with whom she shares 3-year-old daughter Edy and 1-year-old son Rye, Brittany Russell clinched her first career training title on Mother's Day and became just the fourth woman to lead the meet standings in Maryland following Karen Patty, Mary Eppler and Linda Rice.

Overall, she wound up second to now six-time defending Maryland state champion Claudio Gonzalez, 74-73, in 2022 wins at Laurel and Pimlico. Russell set career highs with 453 starters, 100 wins and more than $4.3 million in purse earnings.

Russell won two stakes during the fall meet, the Thirty Eight Go Go with Hybrid Eclipse and Maryland Juvenile with undefeated Post Time.

“I'm so proud of the whole team,” Russell said. “It's a great way to end what has truly been an amazing year, and we hope to keep things rolling in 2023.”

Trainer Dale Capuano went out a winner Saturday, when Taking Risks Stable and Luis Ulman's sophomore Maryland-bred gelding Dolice Vita ($10.20) captured Race 2, a claiming event for 3-year-olds and up. Capuano, 60, a winner of 3,662 lifetime races since 1981 and the all-time leading trainer in Maryland Million history, is retiring following a 41-year training career. He was honored with a winner's circle ceremony following Race 4.

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Four-time Eclipse Award winner Chad Brown secured his eighth consecutive year-end training title on the New York Racing Association Inc.  circuit with 159 wins from 587 starters, good for a win percentage of 27.09 with an in-the-money rate of 59.28 percent through 196 racing days.

The native of Mechanicville, N.Y. enjoyed his best season on the circuit to date, surpassing his previous personal best of 154 set in 2018.

“It means a lot and I'm so proud of my team,” said Brown. “They've worked hard from the beginning of the year to the end of the year. They're an outstanding group of men and women who have various skillsets they bring to our team. We have a lot of loyal clients and partners, and of course, the horses. So many different horses in so many categories really came through for us, so we feel very fortunate to work with these horses.”

Brown's NYRA record of 587-159-108-81 includes 27 graded stakes victories in New York, led by Grade 1 triumphs with Jack Christopher [Woody Stephens presented by Mohegan Sun; H. Allen Jerkens Memorial], Regal Glory [Longines Just a Game], In Italian [Diana, giving Brown a record seventh victory in that event], Blazing Sevens [Champagne], Goodnight Olive [Ballerina Handicap], McKulick [Belmont Oaks Invitational], Bleecker Street [New York], and Tribhuvan [Resorts World Casino Manhattan].

“We had a very diverse group of horses and my team showed that they are able to execute equally as good with turf or dirt horses,” said Brown. “We won with dirt sprinters, route grass horses, male and female. They showed versatility and there's not too many teams that can continue to [perform at this level] with any kind of horse.”

Brown's 159 wins garnered four meet titles this year at NYRA, taking home top honors at the Aqueduct spring, the Belmont spring/summer meet [where he posted a record 47 victories], the Saratoga summer meet and the Belmont at the Big A fall meet. He completed the year with total purse earnings of $17,900,030.

“Winning the Saratoga meet again was a highlight because my team put so much into it,” said Brown. “It means a lot to them. We had several Grade 1 wins, and going down the line, there's so many memorable moments. Jack Christopher; winning the Diana again and setting the record there; the Just a Game. There were so many great moments at NYRA.”

Brown, who stables horses year-round at NYRA and is among the last trainers to leave Saratoga's Oklahoma training track each fall, praised the amenities available to him and his team at each NYRA facility.

“I'd like to thank the management at NYRA,” said Brown. “There's a huge project going on with the reconstruction at Belmont and through it all, management has really gone out of their way to provide safe racing and training surfaces for our horses, and a good environment to train. We continue to have really great success training and racing at NYRA, and it takes an army to do that, led at the top by Dave O'Rourke and his great team, Glen Kozak [Sr. VP of Operations and Capital Projects], Frank Gabriel [Sr. VP of Racing Operations] in the racing office with his team – these people are outstanding to work with. They make sure my clients are satisfied with what races are offered. It takes so many people behind the scenes between NYRA and my barns.”

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher finished in second with a record of 495-110-74-74 while Linda Rice finished third with a record of 479-83-87-75.

The year's leading owner, Seth Klarman's Klaravich Stables, secured its fourth consecutive year-end title with 57 victories, posting a record of 228-57-47-29 with total purses of $6,148,551. Klaravich enjoyed a win rate of 25 percent with an in-the-money rate of 58.33 percent.

Klaravich and Brown teamed up for graded victories this year at NYRA with McKulick [Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational; Grade 3 Jockey Club Oaks Invitational], Technical Analysis [Grade 2 Ballston Spa], Search Results [Grade 2 Ruffian], Consumer Spending [Grade 2 Wonder Again], Gerrymander [Grade 2 Mother Goose], Faith in Humanity [Grade 3 Pebbles] and Early Voting [Grade 3 Withers], who used the New York path to the Triple Crown to claim victory in this year's Grade 1 Preakness.

Brown praised Klarman's dedication to his horses both on and off the racetrack.

“He is very deserving of this title once again,” said Brown. “He's very involved and is a great partner that helped me manage the stable. He's a great sport, and most of all, he puts his horses first. We have not only won a lot of great races together, but he has also always made it clear that our first priority is to put the horses first; not only resting our current horses and not pushing them, but additionally, placing several horses in second careers throughout the year. That's always his priority.”

Michael Dubb finished second in the standings with a record of 225-50-34-25. Repole Stable finished third with a 170-35-21-24 record.

Jockey Dylan Davis celebrated his first year-end riding title on the NYRA circuit for a year in which he guided 186 horses to victory. Davis, 28, earned his first meet riding title at the 2021-22 Aqueduct winter meet and enjoyed his best year on the circuit to date, posting a record of 1160-186-171-180.

“It feels great,” said Davis. “I'm grateful and honored and couldn't have done it without the horses, the trainers, the owners, my agent Mike [Migliore]. We've been working hard and sticking it out on the NYRA circuit. Everything is coming together and we're just going to push on and try for a better year next year.”

Among Davis' wins this year were two graded triumphs at NYRA, guiding Glass Ceiling to victory in the Grade 3 Distaff Handicap in April at the Big A and Boppy O to a 23-1 upset score in the Grade 3 With Anticipation in August at Saratoga Race Course. In all, Davis earned 13 stakes victories this year at NYRA tracks.

Davis noted his victory aboard Al Shira'aa Farm's Miss Dracarys in the Forever Together as a special moment during his prosperous year.

“That filly of Al Shira'aa's was great,” said Davis. “I had won my first Grade 1 for them at Woodbine, so that win was special. I also won three stakes for Mark Casse at Saratoga, and that's great. A win is very tough at Saratoga, let alone a stakes race.”

With $12,367,369 in total purse earnings, Davis enjoyed a win rate of 16.03 percent and an in-the-money percentage of 46.29.

Manny Franco finished a close second with a record of 1081-175-151-157 while Irad Ortiz, Jr. finished in third with a record of 704-155-132-106.

The 2022 Aqueduct fall meet also concluded Saturday when the remainder of the nine-race card was canceled after Race 5 due to dense fog, as jockey Kendrick Carmouche secured his third NYRA meet riding title. The native of Vinton, L.A. concluded the fall meet with 34 wins, three better than Dylan Davis in second with Manny Franco finishing third [27 wins].

“I love riding and the trainers put me on some good horses,” said Carmouche. “I have to give my thanks to the owners and trainers, and especially God. He kept me safe this year. My family kept pushing me to keep striving for better this year. I'm just very pleased at the way my career keeps getting better and better. The title helps you know that things are going the right way.”

Carmouche's fall meet victories include a win in the Atlantic Beach aboard Vacation Dance, and graded scores in the Grade 3 Turnback the Alarm Handicap [Battle Bling], the Grade 3 Comely [Sixtythreecaliber] and Grade 2 Red Smith [Astronaut]. He earned $2,175,002 in total purses through a record of 179-34-27-21, posting a win rate of 18.99 percent and in-the-money rate of 45.81 percent.

“Winning that stake for Tom Albertrani with Astronaut was a good victory for me,” Carmouche said of the Red Smith. “I'm glad the owners kept me on the horse and we got the job done.”

Carmouche said winning the fall meet title is bittersweet for him and his valet, Rodney Paine, who lost his father earlier this fall.

“I want to give the honor to Rodney, my valet. This is for his dad and for him,” said Carmouche. “They mean a lot to me and they're part of the family. He deserves this honor more than anything.”

Trainer Linda Rice finished on top in both the trainers standings [20 wins] and owners standings [10 wins]. Rice, who posted a training record of 93-20-23-13, secured the eighth training title of her career and first since the 2020 Aqueduct winter meet.

Among Rice's victories was an open-company score with barn favorite Betsy Blue in the $120,000 Garland of Roses on December 10 at the Big A.

Chad Brown finished the fall meet in second with a record of 58-15-12-6 with Rob Atras finishing third with a 51-13-8-9 record.

As leading owner, Rice enjoyed a record of 33-10-6-2, earning $342,562 in purses with a win percentage of 30.30 and in-the-money rate of 54.55 percent. She finished four wins ahead of Ten Strike Racing in second and five victories ahead of Klaravich Stables and Michael Dubb, who tied for third with five wins each.

The 2023 Aqueduct winter meet kicks off on Sunday with a nine-race card, featuring the $150,000 Ladies in Race 3. First post is 12:20 p.m. Eastern. The 44-day meet, which will feature 25 stakes worth $3.2 million in purses, will see live racing conducted on a Thursday-Sunday schedule through February 12. From Friday, February 17 through the end of the winter meet, live racing will be held Friday-Sunday, with the addition of a special Presidents' Day card on Monday, February 20.

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Pablo Morales entered the seventh race Wednesday knowing next-to-nothing about his mount Hoku, other than that the 3-year-old gelding had worked out well at Palm Meadows Training Center in Boynton Beach in preparation for his career debut.

To Morales, the unspoken instructions from the connections of Hoku to “just win, baby” lit a fire to do what he does best: coax the best performance possible through a combination of the horse's talent and his own race-riding skills. “(Trainer Kelsey Danner's assistant) told me he seems to do things very handily in the morning, so that gave me some confidence,” Morales said.

After breaking from the far outside No. 10 post, Morales got good position in the middle of the pack heading up the backstretch of the 1-mile turf event. “It's just the typical plan, but you don't really know if the horse has any speed or if he's going to be green (inexperienced), so you kind of play it by ear most of the way around,” Morales said.

“I was able to split horses and when I gave him a tap he got into the bridle, so I thought 'OK, we're in good shape now. We'll see what we have down the lane.' He ran hard and he's still a little green, and when I hit him right-handed he ducked in on me. But he was running, so after I hit him once I (thought) OK, I'm just going to hand-ride him the rest of the way.”

Dismissed by most bettors, Hoku paid $39.20 to win, and had the added benefit of clinching the Boot Barn Jockey of the Month Award for Morales, who edged newcomer Carlos Eduardo Rojas for the honor. After riding four winners today, Morales has 17 at the current meet, four behind leader Samy Camacho.

Hoku's maiden special weight victory wasn't a huge deal in the overall scheme of things, but illustrated the thoughtful, no-nonsense approach the 34-year-old Morales brings to his workplace.

Paula Bacon, his agent, thinks the Lima, Peru product is nearing the prime of his career, and this year's performance attests to her belief. He arrived at Tampa Bay Downs after winning his eighth riding title at Presque Isle Downs in Erie, Pa., and has 210 victories this year, marking the fourth time in the last six years he has reached 200.

In July at Woodbine in Toronto, Morales notched the third graded-stakes triumph of his career, winning the Grade II Highlander Stakes on 8-year-old Bound for Nowhere for owner-trainer Wesley Ward. His 24.97-percent strike rate in 2022 is exceeded by only two jockeys having ridden 150 or more winners.

Bacon says positivity and confidence have Morales striving to add to those achievements.

“His confidence level has improved (over the past couple of years),” Bacon said. “He's gotten very confident in his decision-making and his ability to ride a good race, and that is the biggest thing that has kept him moving forward.”

Bacon, Morales's agent for the last six years, credits his even-keeled personality for helping him produce results and making him a pleasure to work with.

“When things aren't going as well as he wants, or business is a little slow, he never gets upset. He knows things will come around, and when you think like that it's inevitable you're going to do well,” Bacon said.

Morales, who had ridden 2,481 career winners, draws inspiration from his wife Erin and their children Sophia, 12, and Camilo, 10. “I love my life,” he said. He also enjoys pitting his skills against his rivals in what, arguably, is the most competitive colony in track history. That makes his goal of winning an Oldsmar riding title so difficult, and the pursuit so fun.

“I would love to get a title here – that's been a dream of mine,” said Morales, runner-up to Camacho last season. “But I know nothing is given to you. It's a tough colony with riders and trainers from all over the place, and with the exception of Tim Hamm, most of the top trainers here are not from the circuit I am.

“But I feel it's gotten a little easier because of the record I've been able to maintain. So we manage to scrape up wins early and put ourselves right in the race, usually.”

No matter where he rides, Morales's biggest goal is getting the opportunities to prove what he can do. He's a naturally small jockey who fits most horses like well-crafted shoes, a natural talent who won the Grade II Super Derby at Louisiana Downs on The Daddy in 2005 at age 17 (half a lifetime ago, hmmm).

“The thing that makes you enjoy your job is when you get the opportunities (to excel),” Morales said. “I would do it no matter what, but when you're getting those mounts and are able to get it going, you enjoy it that much more. I'm extremely appreciative for the trainers and owners who support me, because without them, a jockey is nothing.”

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Thomas Coulter's Nimitz Class came with a steady run down the center of the track to reel in front-running Ain't Da Beer Cold and edge clear by a half-length in Friday's $100,000 Robert T. Manfuso Monday at Laurel Park, completing a four-win afternoon for jockey Jevian Toledo.

The second running of the Manfuso for 3-year-olds and up going about 1 1/16 miles and 20th edition of the 1 1/8-mile Carousel for fillies and mares 3 and up were the last of six $100,000 stakes on a Christmastide Day program rescheduled from Dec. 26.

Nimitz Class ($15.60), beaten in three previous stakes attempts in Maryland this year, got an ideal stalking trip under Toledo, Maryland's leading rider of 2022 whose other wins Friday came aboard 2-year-olds Landon Jack in Race 1, Stardust Ziggy ($10.60) in Race 3 and Diamondsifyoudo ($2.60) in Race 6.

“Thank God, thanks to my agent [Marty Leonard] for a good job, all the trainers and owners for the opportunities, [and] my family that came here to support me, as well,” Toledo said. “Just thankful and taking advantage of every opportunity.”

Nimitz Class settled in mid-pack as 30-1 long shot Workin On a Dream took the field through an opening quarter-mile in 24.91 seconds. Even-money favorite Ournationonparade, winner of the Oct. 22 Maryland Million Classic, slipped up the rail to take over after a half in 49.66 with Ain't Da Beer Cold in the clear three wide.

Toledo, subbing for jockey Angel Rodriguez, began to pick up horses leaving the far turn and set his sights on Ain't Da Beer Cold, the first also-eligible in an overflow field of 12 that drew in following scratches of Ridin With Biden, Southern District, Grade 3-winning millionaire Cordmaker and Eloquist.

“I called Angel, we're really good friends and he was supposed to ride the horse. He told me, 'He always tries. Just help him away from the gate and just try to find a clear trip and he will try,' and he did,” Toledo said. “He tried his best. When I asked him, turning into the stretch I felt like I had horse. I know they're in front, but I felt like I can go by at any time because he was trying 100 percent.”

Nimitz Class ran a mile in 1:39.39 to overtake a stubborn Ain't Da Beer Cold and earn his second career stakes win. In previous trips to Maryland this year, the 3-year-old Munnings gelding was second in the July 2 Concern and fourth in the Nov. 26 City of Laurel at Laurel Park, and fourth in the Sept. 10 Lite the Fuse at historic Pimlico Race Course.

Ain't Da Beer Cold was second, 3 ¼ lengths ahead of Ournationonparade. It was another 1 ¼ lengths back to Plot the Dots followed by Armando R, American d'Oro and Workin On a Dream. Monday Morning Qb was also scratched.

“I got the outside post and that kind of bothered me a little bit because I wanted to be closer than what I was, but that's how the race set up,” Toledo said. “At least we got the job done, that's the main thing.”

A longtime owner and breeder and former owner of both Laurel and historic Pimlico Race Course who was instrumental in revitalizing Maryland racing, Robert T. Manfuso passed away in March 2020. Top-class runners bred and raised at Chanceland Farm with his life partner, trainer Katy Voss, include 2021 Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) winner Aloha West, 2016 Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Cathryn Sophia and Cordmaker.

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