“Charm City Pick 5” Handicapping Contest Returns for Winter Meet
$17,328,56 carryover into Saturday’s late “Value Pick 5”
LAUREL, MD—Trainer Gary Capuano saddled 16 juvenile winners in 2025.
One of them, Awesome Andy, showed no fear of the dreaded “sophomore jinx,” rallying along the rail under teenage phenom Yedsit Hazlewood to win Friday’s eighth race, a first-level allowance for 3-year-olds at 5 ½ furlongs.
Awesome Andy broke from the rail and soon settled into the pocket as favored Spidey Man swung to the lead through an opening quarter in 22.42 seconds. Spidey Man resisted Springhawk’s early challenge after a half-mile clocking of 45.96, but left the rail wide open for Hazlewood and Awesome Andy, who pounced through the hole into the stretch.
Spidey Man and Awesome Andy ran shoulder-to-shoulder at the eighth pole. Hazlewood, who had dropped his crop near the quarter-pole, had the wherewithal to use his goggles to urge Awesome Andy, and they pulled clear of the pacesetter.
Under the wire, it was Awesome Andy by three-quarters of a length over late-closing Sculcos Folly. Spidey Man faded to third, 2 ¼ lengths behind the runner-up. Worker Bee, Big Bolton, Springhawk, and Biker Baley completed the order of finish.
Awesome Andy returned $7.60 to win as the public’s second choice. Wildncrazyguy, Skillian, and Hell Ofa Hillbilly scratched out.
“He’s pretty gutsy,” Capuano said. “To come back, he was down on the inside like that. [Spidey Man] made it tight on him, and he just kept digging in. [Being down inside] doesn’t seem to bother him much.”
Capuano praised 17-year-old Hazlewood, a finalist for the 2025 Eclipse Award for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey.
“Hazlewood did a good job of getting him up in there because he sometimes tends to drop back on the turn,” Capuano explained. “He’s a strong colt.”
Bred in Kentucky by Gainesway Thoroughbreds, Awesome Andy is by Spun to Run out of Glad Your Back, by Speightstown. His fourth dam, Safely Kept, was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2011. Safely Kept won 24 of 31 starts, including the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Sprint in 1990.
Awesome Andy sold for $10,000 as a weanling and was later purchased by Capuano on behalf of Rose Petal Stable for $16,000 as a yearling.
“I just looked at him,” Capuano said. “The pedigree was fine. He was just a nice-looking horse. It looked like he would be okay.”
Awesome Andy finished third in his career debut at Delaware on October 9. The winner of that heat, Hollywood Import, captured the Heft Stakes at Laurel for Capuano on December 27.
In his second start, a Laurel Park maiden special weight on November 8, Awesome Andy finished third again, this time behind Hometown Bound, who later returned to win the Turfway Prevue Stakes at Turfway Park.
Three weeks later, Awesome Andy finished second behind another Capuano-trained winner, Very Volatile. He finally reached the winner’s circle for the first time in his final start last year, rallying to win a seven-furlong maiden special weight here on December 20.
“He’s picked up a check every time,” Capuano said. “He’s run with some decent horses. He’s just improved. He’s been a decent horse.”
Capuano said that Awesome Andy “could be” pointed toward the $100,000 Spectacular Bid Stakes for 3-year-olds racing seven furlongs at Laurel Park on January 31.
*Charm City Pick 5 Contest Returns for Winter Meet
Laurel Park proudly announces the “Charm City Late Pick 5” Winter Meet Handicapping Contest.
The free contest runs from January 9 through March 29. Click here to register today. Players must register by 11:00 am ET on Friday, January 9th, 2026. By registering, players accept the 2026 Contest rules.
The “Charm City Late Pick 5” is a free online contest. Participants must sign up with an email address and log in to the contest here: click here to log in.
Players must submit one entry in the last five races on the Laurel Park program before the first race in the Late Pick 5 sequence. Daily Racing Form will provide free past performances for each contest race on the game page each day.
The winner is determined by the highest pari-mutuel payouts across the entire meet from a $2.00 across-the-board wager on a player’s selections in each race of the Late “Value Pick 5” sequence. Click here for the latest standings.
If a player correctly selects the winner of every race in the sequence, that player receives a $500 bonus, shared among multiple winners if necessary. The player with the highest bankroll at the end of the winter meet receives a $1,500 cash grand prize. The runner-up receives $1,000, and the third-place finisher receives $500. In addition, the player with the most winners selected throughout the meet receives a $500 cash bonus.
For more information and the full contest rules, click here.
*Around the track:
For the fourth consecutive racing day at Laurel Park, Hazlewood rode multiple winners. He also piloted Firstlady Rosalynn ($4.40) in the fifth race for trainer Michael Trombetta.
Jockey Tais Lyapustina completed the day with a natural daily double. Lyapustina found a pocket aboard Bold Diversion ($6), eased out for the stretch drive, and surged home in the ninth race for trainer Joanne Shankle. Lyapustina then saved every step of ground in the finale aboard Infastuation ($15.60) for trainer Linda Albert.
Heft Stakes winner Hollywood Import breezed one mile in 1:43.40 on Friday morning. Capuano mentioned stakes options in New York and Maryland for the colt’s next start.
Live racing resumes Saturday with a 10-race card. First post time is 12 pm ET, and there are two “Value Pick 5” wagers, each with a low 12% takeout. All on-track patrons receive a complimentary 2026 Maryland Racing Calendar. There is a $17,328,56 carryover into the late “Value Pick 5” sequence (races 6-10).
The FREE “Laurel Park Handicapping Guide” is available every racing day. Get picks, analysis, trainer stats, trip notes, horses to watch, track bias information, and more from The Maryland Jockey Club’s team of handicappers. Saturday’s Guide is available online: click here to view.
Reserve your spot for our weekly “Bubbly Brunch Sundays.” Kick back with friends over delicious brunch favorites and bottomless mimosas at our vibrant Stone Bar Restaurant and Bar. Sunday Brunch starts at 11:00 am ET.
Never miss a second of the action on the Laurel Park YouTube channel. Click here to watch full pan and head-on replays.
