Jockey Martin Chuan wins three races
LAUREL, MD—Bolt of Aurum always hinted at potential, and his rousing eight-length victory in Thursday’s featured eighth race at Laurel Park, a second-level allowance for 3-year-olds and upward at six furlongs, indicates that the 4-year-old colt might finally have realized it.
A rallying debut winner at Monmouth Park as a 2-year-old, he finished third in his final start as a juvenile, the $100,000 James F. Lewis III Stakes at Laurel Park.
Bolt of Aurum raced sparingly in 2024, but his sole victory that season came by 8 ½ lengths in a first-level allowance at Parx on Oct. 28. He earned an excellent 93 Beyer Speed Figure, a number that usually gives connections visions of future stakes opportunities.
Instead, Bolt of Aurum entered and scratched from a second-level allowance at Aqueduct on Nov. 24, 2024, then remained on the sidelines for 337 days.
He finished sixth of nine in his return race earlier this fall, a second-level allowance at Parx on Sept. 29. After being withdrawn from a similar spot at Penn National on Oct. 29, trainer Jorge Duarte Jr. experimented with new blinkers for Bolt of Aurum’s start on the Laurel Thanksgiving Day card.
It’s safe to say that Bolt of Aurum feels handsome in his new headgear.
Bumped leaving the starting gate, Bolt of Aurum immediately recovered to move up and set the pace under Jevian Toledo. Soon clear of his primary pace pursuer, Bolt of Aurum carved out fractions of 22.69 and 45.50 as easily as a practiced chef prepares a Thanksgiving bird.
Toledo merely chirped to his mount in the stretch, and Bolt of Aurum responded by “making it look like a workout,” according to track announcer Dave Rodman.
Bolt of Aurum raced the distance in 1:10.33 over the good main track, and returned $8.80 as the public’s second choice.
“[The connections] got the horse ready,” Toledo said. “They called me earlier. They said the horse was training good. They put blinkers on to make him focus, and he was focused. He broke out of there running. Coming to the stretch, I just tapped him on the shoulder, and he took off again. He was cruising. In the last part, I took a hold. He did it pretty easily.”
Bolt of Aurum was bred in Kentucky by Ruis Racing and was purchased for $300,000 by Colts Neck Stables as a 2-year-old in training. A son of Bolt d’Oro out of an unplaced full sister to Grade 3 winner Guest Suite, Bolt of Aurum hails from the female family of Belmont Stakes winner A.P. Indy and Preakness Stakes winner Summer Squall.
Bolt of Aurum boasts three wins from nine starts, earning $120,060.
*Jockey Martin Chuan wins three races
Jockey Martin Chuan feasted on Thanksgiving Day.
For a third-race appetizer, Chuan squeezed through in between horses at a crucial juncture aboard El Tinmarin ($6) in a $25,000 optional claimer for 3-year-olds and upward racing 5 ½ furlongs on the All Along Turf Course.
Chuan’s main course came 27 minutes later as he encouraged a game Don’t Fool With Me ($7.40) to battle back along the inside in the fourth race, a $25,000 starter allowance at seven furlongs on the main track.
Chuan enjoyed dessert in the fifth event, a $7,500 beaten claimer at one mile on dirt. Ribbonsinherhair ($6) tracked the leaders from the pocket, eased around a tired foe late on the turn, angled back to the fence, and turned up the heat in the final quarter mile to prevail by 7 ¾ lengths.
Jamie Ness trains both El Tinmarin and Ribbonsinherhair. Don’t Fool With Me is conditioned by Mark Shuman.
Represented by agent John Weilbacher, the Peruvian-born Chuan began teaming up regularly with Ness at Delaware Park earlier this year. He finished third in the jockey standings there with 66 wins, nine less than perennial leader Jaime Rodriguez.
“Jamie is a nice trainer,” Chuan said after sweeping both feature races at Laurel Park on Nov. 2. “He supported me all summer at Delaware and Penn, and now here.”
Chuan is having a banner year in 2025, with career highs in victories (114) and earnings ($3,162,345).
*Around the track:
Live racing resumes Friday with a nine-race program. The first post time is 12 p.m. ET, and there are two “Value Pick 5” wagers with a low 12% takeout rate…This Thanksgiving week, enjoy “Football at the Park,” where the gridiron meets the racetrack. Join us at Laurel Park Friday through Sunday for three days of football and thoroughbred racing. Watch College and NFL Football on our massive screens in our dedicated Sports Bar, and enjoy the thrill of live horse racing. There is a 10% discount on all appetizers as well as drink specials all weekend long. Kickoff and first post time are at 12 p.m. ET for “Football at the Park”…The FREE “Laurel Park Handicapping Guide” is available every racing day. Get picks, analysis, trip notes, trainer stats, horses to watch, track bias information, and much more from The Maryland Jockey Club team of handicappers. Friday’s Guide is 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 in our vibrant Stone Bar Restaurant and Bar. Sunday Brunch begins at 11:00 am ET…Never miss a second of the action with the Laurel Park YouTube channel. Click here to catch full pan and head-on replays.
