Another triple for Yedsit Hazlewood

LAUREL, MD—On a beautiful Saturday afternoon at Laurel Park, Union Fleet shocked the betting public by upsetting the featured eighth race, a conditioned allowance with an optional claiming range of $55,000 to $44,000 for 3-year-olds and up at one mile.

Union Fleet, apprentice Jose Vargas’s second winner of the afternoon, was dismissed at 49-1 in a seven-horse field, but never looked like an outsider once the gates opened.

J D Factor controlled the opening quarter in 24.62 seconds, but Indy Charges On made a bold outside bid to challenge the pacesetter after a half-mile in 48.03 seconds and appeared to be moving sweetly under jockey Jevian Toledo.

Vargas, who settled Union Fleet three paths off the rail near the back of the pack, followed Indy Charges On’s live cover and was towed into the flow after six furlongs in 1:12.71.

Union Fleet ranged up outside Indy Charges On into the long stretch, forged past that rival with two furlongs remaining, then dug deep from between horses to beat a resurgent J D Factor by a half-length in 1:38.88 on the fast track.
Indy Charges On placed another head back in third. Freedom Road, favored Lure Him In, Crossland, and Adero completed the order of finish.

Union Fleet returned $100 to win.

“At the three-eighths, [he was moving] nice, nice, nice, nice,” said Vargas, currently second in the Laurel Park spring meet standings. “He finished strong. It was good.”

Bred in New York by Jonathan Thorne, Union Fleet is a 7-year-old gelding by Union Jackson, out of Piccolo Flats by A. P. Warrior.

Purchased for $25,000 as a yearling, Union Fleet won a quarter of his first dozen starts for trainers Cal Lynch and Anthony Farrior. He was claimed by trainer Jose Magana on behalf of Pepe Stable and J L M Jacona Stable for $25,000 following a winning effort on January 13, 2023.

Union Fleet has certainly paid his way for Magana, finishing third in the $100,000 Frank Y. Whiteley Stakes in 2024. He’s now won two of his last three starts, boosting his career earnings to $357,432.

*Another triple for Yedsit Hazlewood

For the second consecutive afternoon, apprentice jockey Yedsit Hazlewood rode three winners at Laurel Park.

An 18-year-old phenom, Hazlewood, the runner-up in last year’s Eclipse Award voting for Outstanding Apprentice Rider, was aggressive from the start aboard Bjorn ($6.80). The gelding worked hard every step of the way to win the fifth race for trainer Hugh McMahon.

Half an hour later, Hazlewood skimmed the fence with Sacred Thunder ($12) to secure a come-from-behind victory. Sacred Thunder is trained by Gary Capuano.

In the final race of the card, Hazlewood tracked the pacesetter on Dairago ($3.60), surged past the foe in the upper stretch, and drew away for trainer Bob Hess Jr.

A native of Panama, Hazlewood leads Vargas by two wins in the current jockey standings. Although he didn’t begin riding until March 21 and missed a couple of months last year due to injuries from a car accident, Hazlewood was the top Maryland jockey by wins in 2025.

Hazlewood captured his first riding title at the Maryland State Fair meeting at Timonium last summer, then won Laurel’s fall title by 39 wins over Jevian Toledo.

At the recently concluded Laurel winter meet, Hazlewood topped Angel Cruz by 29 wins.

With 103 victories in 2026, Hazlewood is the winningest jockey in the nation. He leads Samuel Marin by eight and Jose Ortiz by 18.

*Around the track:

On Saturday, Laurel Park unveiled “The Morning Workout Show,” a family-friendly event from 8 to 10 am. Fans enjoyed a free breakfast biscuit and a pancake station, met their favorite Laurel Park jockeys, toured the winner’s circle, watched a paddock saddling demonstration, and learned about the daily lives of the local equine community. Kids received a free gift bag, had their faces painted, and took pictures in jockey garb. The next “Morning Workout Show” is scheduled for Saturday, May 9.

Among the horses that breezed this morning was Barbadian Runner, who worked five furlongs in 1:03.40 for trainer Henry Walters. Barbadian Runner captured six stakes races last year, including the Maryland Million Classic, and earned a 107 Beyer Speed Figure in his final start, when he finished second in the Robert T. Manfuso Stakes on December 20.

Several 3-year-olds nominated to next Saturday’s $150,000 Federico Tesio Stakes also stretched their legs this morning. Unbeaten Taj Mahal breezed a bullet five-eighths in 1:01.80 for trainer Brittany Russell, who also sent Hixon out for a five-eighths work in 1:02. Let’s Go Lando and Wild Warrior both worked one mile in 1:44 for trainer Gary Capuano. The winner of the Federico Tesio receives an automatic berth in the Grade 1, $2M Preakness Stakes at Laurel Park on May 16.

Trainer Michael Gorham and jockey Raul Mena combined for a natural double on Saturday’s program. Both Twelve Nelson ($5.20; third race) and R Averie Lynn ($10.20; fourth race) showed speed and tenacity in their races.

Live racing resumes Sunday with a nine-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 available. Click here to view it.

Reserve your spot for our weekly “Bubbly Brunch Sundays.” Kick back 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. For more information, click here.

Laurel Park proudly hosts the Preakness Preview Day Handicapping Challenge, a one-day contest available both on-site and online. The event takes place on Saturday, April 18, at Laurel Park or via Xpressbet, TwinSpires, and TVG/4NJBETS. The $500 contest ($250 entry fee, $250 bankroll) offers Win, Place, Show, Exacta, and/or Daily Double wagering on the full schedule of live races at Laurel Park. Contestants must play at least five (5) races, with a minimum $50 bet per race. Based on 120 entries, the total prize pool is $30,000, which includes one full seat to the Breeders' Cup Betting Challenge ($10,000 value) and two National Handicapping Championship Prize Packs ($5,350 value, including a $400 flight voucher and hotel stay). Additionally, the top five finishers will split $9,300 in prize money, with $4,650 going to the winner, $1,860 to the runner-up, $1,395 to the third-place finisher, $930 to the fourth, and $465 to the fifth-place finisher. All entry fees are returned as prizes. The listed prizes are estimates, and the actual prizes will depend on the final number of participants. For complete rules and registration details, please 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.