Jorge Ruiz rides three winners

LAUREL, MD—Show bettors at Laurel Park, hoping to scrape up a few extra bucks to play the Belmont Stakes simulcast, instead went home early in a freight car after the odds-on favorite, Intrepid Mo, failed to hit the board in Saturday’s featured eighth race, a $53,000 second-level allowance for fillies and mares at one mile.

Apparently, Saratoga isn’t the only “Graveyard of Favorites.”

Those handicappers prescient enough to ride the Jorge Ruiz gravy train, however, cashed in on the $12 winner Bella Queen, who, somewhat surprisingly, grabbed the early lead and never relinquished it, besting Sheilahs Warcloud by two lengths in 1:37.96 on the fast track.

Estocada finished a well-beaten third and was followed home by The Goddess Factor and Intrepid Mo. Di’s Surprise was scratched.

"I knew she was super-duper sharp," said Parx-based trainer Howard Brown Jr. "I just didn’t know she was sharper than the rest of them.”

Bella Queen didn’t need to be dagger-like to lead, as others let her go ahead. She dropped the anchor between Intrepid Mo and Estocada, set a slow 24.83-second opening quarter, and waited for someone to act.

Notch by notch, Ruiz let his mare run. She seemed very comfortable after a half-mile clocked in 48.33 seconds and had everyone else off the bridle after six furlongs in 1:12.38.

Sheilahs Warcloud, who stumbled at the start, eased off the inside to chase Bella Queen, and gradually made up late ground in a game performance.

Bred in Kentucky by Alliance Bloodstock Agency, Bella Queen is by Street Boss, out of Saucy Jade, by Rock Hard Ten.

She was purchased by M and B Racing Stables for $13,000 and has since banked $198,880. Last summer, she finished third in the $150,000 Liberty Bell Stakes at Parx.

“We bought her at the 2-year-old sale three years ago,” Brown said. “It took us a year to get her to the races, and she's been a true racehorse ever since."

*Jorge Ruiz rides three winners

Bella Queen was the second of three winners ridden by Ruiz on Saturday.

In race two, the veteran jockey guided home a professional juvenile debut winner trained by Mike Trombetta. Futile Gesture ($5.40), a Maryland-bred by Friesan Fire, rated back to get to the outside, re-bid three wide into strong contention, then chiseled away to win a 4 ½-furlong maiden special weight on dirt.

About 30 minutes after getting his picture taken with Bella Queen, Ruiz was back at it. In a paceless ninth race, he placed Acheron ($5.80) close to the early leader and just had enough left to fend off the rallying Devastating. Acheron is trained by Tim Hills.

A native of Buenos Aires, Argentina, Ruiz, 40, is one of the most dependable riders in the region and one of the most underrated turf jockeys in the entire country.

In 2025, Ruiz finished sixth among all North American jockeys by turf wins (80). A handicapper who blindly bet on all of Ruiz’s 427 grass mounts earned a $2.09 return on investment on a $2.00 flat bet.

Ruiz rode 923 winners in Argentina before moving to the United States in the summer of 2016. He enjoyed his best season in 2025, setting single-season records in wins (116) and earnings ($5,601,685).

This year, he rode No Show Sammy Jo to victory in the Grade 3 Sheepshead Bay Stakes at Aqueduct.

Ruiz has been on a tear lately. He also completed a Laurel Park hat trick last Sunday. Since May 28, Ruiz has won nine races from 32 mounts.

*Around the track:

Horacio Karamanos rode two maiden winners on the turf Friday. Karamanos settled off the pace aboard Boss Lily ($5.20), angled widest into the stretch, and stormed home to win the third race for trainer Greg Wilson. He then navigated traffic aboard Oxford Union ($7.40) for trainer Valora Testerman in the seventh race.

Live racing resumes Sunday with an 8-race card featuring two “Value Pick 5” wagers, each with a low 12% takeout. The first race is at 12 pm ET.

The free “Laurel Park Handicapping Guide” is available on every race day. It provides picks, analysis, trainer stats, trip notes, horses to watch, track bias info, and more from The Maryland Jockey Club’s team of handicappers. Sunday’s guide is available. Click here to view it.

Tickets are available for “Tacos & Margaritas at Laurel Park” on Sunday, June 7, between 1 PM and 4 pm. Enjoy great food, exciting live racing, and a relaxing social atmosphere. For menu and ticket information, visit here.

Enjoy live racing action and fine wine at Laurel Park’s “Rosé on the Rail” celebration on Sunday, June 14, at 12 pm. Join for an afternoon crafted for rosé lovers, race fans, and summer Sundays done right. Rosé on the Rail pairs live horse racing with a curated tasting of refreshing wines, light bites, and scenic rail-side views. For tickets and more information, visit here.

Never miss a second of the action on the Laurel Park YouTube channel. Click here to watch full pan and head-on replays.

Watch “Today at the Races,” the Maryland Jockey Club’s morning handicapping show every racing day at 11 am ET on the Maryland Jockey Club X account. Click here to watch.