Wickeddivine grabs Friday feature
Jose Vargas rides three winners
Turkish Breeze, Master Schemer earn 5% Maryland Million Maiden Bonus
Live Racing Resumes Sunday, March 15

LAUREL, MD—Ten respected horseplayers from Laurel Park are competing against top talents from around the world at the 27th National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) National Horseplayers Championship (NHC).

The prestigious event, sponsored by Caesars Sportsbook, Horseshoe Las Vegas, and the Racetrack Television Network (RTN), runs from March 13 to March 15 at Horseshoe Las Vegas.

The stakes are higher than ever this year, with an estimated record-breaking $5 million total prize pool. The ultimate winner will receive a life-changing $825,000 grand prize and the 2026 Eclipse Award for Horseplayer of the Year.

Competitors hail from 46 states, Canada, New Zealand, and Panama. The field includes 117 first-time participants.

Aspiring champions can start their journey to Las Vegas at Laurel Park’s upcoming Preakness Preview Day Handicapping Challenge on Saturday, April 18.

Along with cash prizes and bragging rights, the winner of the April 18th tournament will choose from two top prizes:

1. An entry for the 2027 National Horseplayers Championship in Las Vegas.
2. Entry for the 2026 Breeders’ Cup Betting Challenge at Keeneland.

For more details on how to register and play, visit here.

The Maryland Jockey Club wishes the best of racing luck to our ten qualifiers: Peter Acocella, Brett Brach, Robin Buser, Stephan Donk, Brendan Fay, Bob Galvin, Peter James, Stephen McNatton, Michael Mulvihill, and John Zielinski.

*Wickeddivine grabs Friday feature

Trainer Kenny Cox has always liked Wickeddivine.

An impressive maiden winner in his third start at age two, Wickeddivine then sat out for 321 days. Privately purchased by Bonuccelli Racing during the layoff, Wickeddivine remained with Cox, who previously trained him for Now Or Never Stable.

He had some baby stuff, and we gave him time,” Cox said before Wickeddivine raced in last year’s Maryland Million Sprint. “No surgery. I thought he was the best 2-year-old in the crop. He did everything the way he was supposed to. I think he’s going to turn out to be a nice horse.”

Cox could only prep Wickeddivine once before the Maryland Million Sprint, and the gelding finished seventh out of eight, as one of only three sophomores in the field.

Wickeddivine faced some tough trips in his last four starts, earning two second-place finishes. He received a favorable outside pressing trip this afternoon with Jeiron Barbosa riding in Friday’s seventh race, a $48,000 state-bred or -sired allowance for 4-year-olds and older at six furlongs.

Change My World broke best and immediately took control of the pace, with Wickeddivine, his bay shadow, on the outside. Change My World posted fractions of 23.13 and 46.19 seconds on the muddy, sealed track but could never pull away from Wickeddivine, who was ridden confidently by Barbosa.

Wickeddivine poked a head in front, then battled a game Change My World the rest of the way, ultimately winning by 1 ¼ lengths in 1:11.64.

Change My World finished second, seven lengths ahead of Paco the Taco Man. Guaponess and Enzo followed.

Favored Wickeddivine paid $4.40 to win.

“I think the horse will go longer, too,” Cox said in the winner’s circle. “He is game.”

Wickeddivine, a 4-year-old gelding sired by Divining Rod, was bred by Randy Ridgely and bought by Now Or Never Stable for $10,000 as a yearling. His dam, E Dubai’s Humor, by E Dubai, was a multiple stakes-placed sprinter on dirt at Laurel.

Wickedivine has won two of ten starts and earned $86,985.

*Jose Vargas rides three winners

Apprentice rider Jose Vargas had a successful Friday afternoon at Laurel Park, winning three races.

Vargas took the mount on Diamond N Dress ($30.60) from an absent Pedro Pena, and the Connect filly came from behind to win by five lengths for trainer W. Thomas McMahon.

The seven-pound bug rider then gave Ellinger ($7) a smooth outside, pace-tracking trip in the fourth race for trainer Charles A. Frock.

Vargas's patience paid off in the fifth race as he positioned Master Schemer ($8.80) behind a fast pace, found a perfect opening three wide in the stretch, and pulled ahead to secure the win.

“We’ve been working together since the end of November,” said Vargas’s agent, Kevin Witte. “He has a diligent work ethic. He goes to the gym every day. He works out to get his body in shape and to keep himself in shape. He takes care of himself as a professional athlete should.”

A native of Venezuela, Vargas started riding in the United States in 2024, winning with two of his three mounts. In his first full season last year, Vargas rode 18 winners for earnings of $615,262, and drew some attention here in Maryland.

“He went to Tampa last year, rode some at Delaware, and came here in the fall,” Witte continued. “He’s young and he’s learning every day, and he’s improving all the time. I think he has a bright future.”

Vargas has 11 wins at the current Laurel Park meet, tying him for fifth place in the standings. A $2 bet on each of his 71 mounts at this meet has generated a positive ROI of $2.09.

*Around the track:

Maryland-bred maiden winners Turkish Breeze and Master Schemer each earned a 5% bonus on Friday. The bonus program, which began on March 1, rewards Maryland Million-eligible horses that win maiden races in the state. Only horses sired by Maryland Million stallions, conceived in Maryland, and fully nominated and certified for the Maryland Million program qualify. Stallions must have been nominated in the year the horse was conceived. Turkish Breeze ($9.20) is a 3-year-old filly by Holy Boss out of Breeze Off the Bay, by Bayern. A homebred owned by Kaya Gokmen, Turkish Breeze is trained by Kieron Magee. Master Schemer is a 3-year-old gelding by Blofeld out of Missy Kim, by Louis Quatorze. He is a homebred owned by Mrs. E. Allen Murray Jr.’s Murmur Farm and is trained by Linda Albert.

Live racing resumes Sunday with an 11-race card. The first post is at 12:00 pm ET. Additionally, Laurel Park offers two “Value Pick 5” wagers, each with a low 12% takeout rate.

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 released on Saturday evening. Click here to view it.

Join the fun on Sunday, March 15, for Laurel Park’s St. Paddy’s Day Celebration. Enjoy free admission, along with food and drink specials.

Reserve your spot for our weekly “Bubbly Brunch Sundays.” Relax 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. Learn more 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.