Maryland-breds excel on Breeders’ Cup card at Del Mar
LAUREL, MD—The race for leading jockey at the current Laurel Park Fall meeting intensified on Sunday as both Jorge Ruiz and Yedsit Hazlewood exploded for four winners apiece.
Hazlewood, a teenage apprentice rider from Panama, struck first aboard Fabia ($5.60) in the second race. Riding with patience and confidence in the $16,000 starter allowance at six furlongs on dirt, Hazlewood waited until the stretch to pounce with his mount, and they wore down pacesetting Centsamilla to prevail by 1 ¾ lengths.
Ruiz, a native of Argentina who turns 40 on Nov. 9, was next to reach the winner’s circle, as he guided Beyond Question ($7.20) to a late-running victory in the third race, a $12,500 optional claimer at 5 ½ furlongs over the Dahlia Turf Course. A 3-year-old filly by Street Magician, Beyond Question was overly eager in her prior start, and Ruiz made sure to place her behind cover to help her save her energy for the all-important final furlongs.
Hazlewood was merely a passenger aboard Let’s Go Lando ($3.60), who toyed with his opposition in the fourth race, a maiden special weight for 2-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles.
Ruiz countered immediately aboard Lucky Esther ($8.20), masterfully sliding through along the inside in the fifth race, a $25,000 maiden claimer for 2-year-old fillies at 5 ½ furlongs. As with Beyond Question, Ruiz was cognizant of the fact that Lucky Esther tends to get rank in the early portion of her races. He immediately took her to the rail to settle before finding all the right openings.
In the sixth race, Ruiz showed that he is just as effective aboard speed horses as he is with closers. Bar Fourteen ($17.20) skipped to the lead in the $12,500 optional claimer at 1 1/16 miles over the Dahlia Turf Course, and never relinquished it, scoring by a length for trainer Bruce Brown.
Ruiz concluded his banner day aboard Tough Workout ($17.20) in the eighth race, a $12,500 optional claimer at 5 ½ furlongs over the Dahlia Turf Course. Heading into the race with a less-than-inspiring 2 for 60 lifetime record. Tough Workout showed good speed under Ruiz, then refused to yield when odds-on favorite Uncle Dar challenged in the stretch.
Hazlewood picked up the gauntlet to sweep the late daily double. Sharmin ($4.20) took the field on a merry chase in the featured tenth race, a state-bred allowance at 1 1/16 miles on the turf. A half-hour later, he piloted Shootersgottashoot ($11.80) to a rallying victory in the nightcap, a $16,000 optional claimer at six furlongs.
Hazlewood was hyped up before making his debut earlier this year, and he has lived up to the advance publicity, winning 72 of his first 352 starts. He won his first riding title at the Maryland State Fair Meet at Timonium over the summer.
The youngster grabbed national headlines when winning four races, including his first two stakes, on the Jim McKay Maryland Million program at Laurel on Oct. 11.
Ruiz rode 923 winners in Argentina before coming to the United States. He won his first race in North America aboard an 80-1 longshot at Gulfstream, and moved his tack full-time to Maryland during the fall of 2018. In North America, Ruiz has 684 wins and almost $29 million in earnings. He has three graded stakes wins, most recently taking the Grade 3 Robert G. Dick Memorial at Delaware on July 5 aboard Marksman Queen.
Ruiz is having a career-best season with 104 wins, eight more than his previous best.
*Maryland-breds excel on Breeders’ Cup card at Del Mar
Horses with local ties performed admirably at Del Mar on Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup program.
Splendora, bred in Maryland by Stuart Grant’s The Elkstone Group, captured her third consecutive race when winning the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint for trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Flavien Prat. Talla Racing purchased the Audible filly for $125,000 as a yearling. Grade 1-placed as a 3-year-old last year at Santa Anita, Splendora ran second in two Grade 2 events earlier in 2025 before earning her first stakes victory in Del Mar’s restricted Tranquility Lake on Sept. 1.
Regaled, a three-time winner in Maryland, rallied for third in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Distaff. Trained for most of her career by Laurel-based trainer Sammy Davis, Regaled finished second in the Heavenly Cause Stakes here on April 12 before placing third in Pimlico’s Allaire du Pont Stakes. Purchased for $300,000 after the Allaire du Pont, Regaled campaigns for Ribble Farms and Front Page Equestrian, and is trained by Whit Beckman.
On the undercard, Maryland-bred Modus Bestia won her second straight start with a pace-pressing score in the second race, a first-level allowance at six furlongs on dirt. Modus Bestia, a 3-year-old colt by Maclean’s Music, was bred in Maryland by Country Life Farm and Make Amends LLC. A $140,000 weanling purchase, Modus Bestia resold for $500,000 as a Keeneland September yearling, and is trained by Richard Baltas for owners Calvin Nguyen and Joey Tran.
*Around the track:
Live racing resumes Sunday with a 12-race program. The first post time is 12:07 p.m. ET, and there are two “Value Pick 5” wagers, each with a low 12% takeout rate…The FREE “Laurel Park Handicapping Guide” is available every racing day. See picks, a full-card analysis, trainer stats, trip notes, horses to watch, track bias information, and lots more from The Maryland Jockey Club’s team of analysts. Click here for Sunday’s Guide…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 and the event runs through the final live race.
