Teenage sensation Hazlewood earns first stakes win with Onyx Ten in Shamrock Farm Maryland Million Distaff

LAUREL, MD— The consistent Slam Notion tracked three wide under jockey Jevian Toledo, made a bid from that path on the turn, then dug in determinedly to deny a game Twisted Ride in Saturday’s $100,000 Maryland Million Sprint for 3-year-olds and upward racing six furlongs at Laurel Park.

Slam Notion was trainer Robbie Bailes’s second winner on the program after Slewpertitus captured the Glenangus Maryland Million Lassie. Both of those horses are owned by Eric Rizer and were bred by Eric and Nancy Rizer. Slam Notion was Toledo’s third victory this afternoon.

“It is just awesome,” Bailes said after the Sprint. “It’s been a great day. The owners are just unbelievable people. They’ve brought my game to another level.”

Favored Haileysfirstnotion grabbed the early advantage, but immediately took heat from Twisted Ride. Meanwhile, Toledo allowed those two horses to clear off before urging Slam Notion into a prime three-wide position just behind the leaders.

“He’s doing something that he didn’t use to do,” noted Bailes. “Before, if he wasn’t right on the front end, or laying right off of it, he’d still try, but he wasn’t this type of horse now. It looks like you can put him anywhere you want to put him.”

Slam Notion pounced on the turn, took over the lead in upper stretch, then kept on churning to best a hard-trying Twisted Ride by 1 ½ lengths in 1:10.17.

Haileysfirstnotion finished third, a neck behind the runner-up. Then came Bold Diversion, Catahoula Moon, Heard On Thestreet, Wickeddivine, and Holy Synchronicity. Freeze the Fire was a gate scratch.

Slam Notion paid $7.20 as the second choice in the wagering.

Slam Notion, a 3-year-old gelding by Great Notion, grabbed Colonial’s restricted Star De Naskra Stakes at seven furlongs on July 12. After a disappointing try on turf, he returned to the winner’s circle with an allowance victory at Colonial on Sept. 10.

“Except for the turf race, the last three races have been unbelievable,” Bailes said. “He’s just been finding another gear.”

Slam Notion boasts a record of six wins from 11 starts, earning $294,770.

*Teenage sensation Hazlewood earns first stakes win aboard Onyx Ten.

Despite never riding in a sanctioned race, teenage apprentice Yedsit Hazlewood was touted to the hills upon entering the Maryland jockey colony earlier this year.

“I want to have the opportunity to talk to you a little bit,” trainer Jose Corrales said back in April.

“I ride this apprentice, who’s going to run this week,” Corrales mentioned. “This kid is from Panama. He’s been in [jockey] school in Panama, and he’s been at the racetrack since he was nine years old. He’s got so much talent. I’m thinking he’s going to be one of the Ortiz kids in the future.”

Corrales can spot talent. A successful rider with over 1,000 wins in the United States and plenty more in Macau before switching to training, Corrales has mentored other successful young riders in Maryland.

He felt that 17-year-old Yedsit Hazlewood was one of his best pupils, and his confidence has been rewarded.

Hazlewood failed to secure a victory with his first dozen mounts, but he earned his debut win on April 4. His first significant milestone came when he captured the riding title at the Maryland State Fair meeting at Timonium, and he currently sits atop the leaderboard at the Laurel Park fall meet.

Another box was ticked on Saturday when Hazlewood notched his first stakes victory aboard Onyx Ten in the $100,000 Shamrock Farm Maryland Million Distaff for fillies and mares at seven furlongs. It was the first of Hazlewood’s four winners in his first appearance in the Jim McKay Maryland Million, presented by Brown Advisory.

Trained by Gary Capuano, Onyx Ten saved ground in midpack as Green Eyed Monster set fractions of 22.97 and 46.20 seconds. Hazlewood eased out a path to split horses at the half-mile pole, then switched out another path to follow the horse to beat, defending champion Foxy Junior.

Foxy Junior looked strong turning for home, but Green Eyed Monster rebuffed her bid. Onyx Ten then took her shot from the far outside, and she passed Green Eyed Monster to prevail by 1 ¾ lengths in 1:24.34.

Foxy Junior flattened out to finish 2 ½ lengths behind in third. Next came Sheilahs Warcloud, Next Girl, Meg, Esroh, Safe Trust, Shkhara Fire, Stickwiththecolors, and Kissedbyanangel.

Onyx Ten paid $15.20 as the fourth betting choice.

“I had a good horse with the best trainer,” Hazlewood said.

After winning her first two starts this year, the Xtra Heat Stakes on Jan. 25 and the Wide Country Stakes on Feb. 22, Onyx Ten was considered one of the leading sophomore fillies in the region. Onyx Heat disappointed as the favorite in the Beyond the Wire Stakes on March 22, and Capuano decided to give her a break.

She returned with a vengeance, taking a restricted allowance at Delaware on Sept. 14.

“We ran the heck out of her last fall and this winter, and she didn’t miss a beat,” Capuano said earlier this week. “She was tailing off, so we gave her all summer off. She trained really good going into the Delaware race, and she showed that. She’s been wonderful.”

Capuano is impressed with the filly’s temperament.

“She’s pretty versatile,” he said in the winner’s circle. “She doesn’t mind dirt in her face. She can come from off the pace, stay close. She’s got a nice kick. She’s a big, strong filly.”

A homebred owned by Frank Sample, Onyx Ten is by Street Magician, has won 5 of 13 starts, and has earned $309,065.