Splendora a finalist for Older Dirt Female, Female Sprinter honors
Preakness winner Journalism a finalist in 3-Year-Old Male category
Swore a finalist for Champion Steeplechase Horse Award

LAUREL, MD—Yedsit Hazlewood, Maryland’s top rider last year, is one of three finalists for the 2025 Eclipse Award for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey.

The winner will be announced at the 55th Annual Resolute Racing Eclipse Awards, presented by John Deere, the Jockey Club, and the NTRA, on Thursday, January 22, at 7:30 pm ET.

Christopher Elliott and Pietro Moran are the other finalists.

Hazlewood, 17, recorded his first career victory on April 4. Despite a two-month injury layoff, he posted 95 wins in 2025 at Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, finishing 15 wins ahead of veteran Sheldon Russell.

Hazlewood also earned riding honors at the Maryland State Fair Meeting at Timonium over the summer and captured the Laurel Park Fall Meeting jockey’s title by a commanding 73-35 margin over Jevian Toledo. Hazlewood’s mounts earned $2,465,403 at the meet, well ahead of Toledo’s $1,516,243.

Hazlewood’s Laurel Park Fall Meet highlights included three four-win afternoons, one on the high-profile Jim McKay Maryland Million program on October 11. He captured four stakes races, won at least one race on 23 consecutive racing cards, and finished the year in Maryland by winning three races on each of the final three days of racing.

Originally from Panama, Hazlewood is mentored by Jose Corrales. A successful rider with over 1,000 wins in the United States and many more in Macau before switching to training, Corrales has tutored many young riders over the years, but he considers Hazlewood his finest pupil.

“He’s been in [jockey] school in Panama and has been at the racetrack since he was nine years old,” Corrales said before Hazlewood even rode his first race on March 21. “He’s got so much talent. I think he’s going to be one of the Ortiz kids in the future.”

Hazlewood also reached the winner’s circle at Aqueduct, Delaware Park, Parx Racing, and Penn National. He finished his phenomenal season with 138 wins from 591 mounts (23% winners), $4,483,201 in earnings, and six stakes victories from 21 stakes mounts.

He saved some of his best work for last, compiling 17 wins in 56 starts (30% winners) from December 22 to 31.

Agent John DiNitale represents Hazlewood.

*Splendora a finalist for Older Dirt Female, Female Sprinter Honors

Splendora concluded her 2025 campaign with three consecutive victories by a combined 13 ¾ lengths, including a 4 ¾-length triumph in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint.

She is one of three finalists in both the Older Dirt Female and Female Sprinter categories.

Bred in Maryland by Stuart Grant’s The Elkstone Group, Splendora, a daughter of Audible and Miss Freeze (by Frost Giant), was purchased as a yearling for $125,000 and is trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert for Michael Talla’s By Talla Racing.

Campaigning exclusively in Southern California, Splendora finished second in the Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on April 19 and was runner-up in the Grade 2 Santa Margarita Stakes at 1 1/8 miles before embarking on her winning streak.

She won three of her six starts in 2025, with two second-place finishes, earning $860,800 for the year. She is expected to race as a 5-year-old in 2026.

Grant owns Splendora’s 3-year-old half-brother, Oracle of Beaufort, an unraced Maryland-bred Demarchelier colt currently in training at Fair Hill with Brittany Russell.

Scylla and Thorpedo Anna are also finalists for Older Dirt Female. Kopion and Shisopicy are the other two finalists in the Female Sprinter category.

*Preakness winner Journalism a finalist in 3-Year-Old Male category

Journalism, who overcame serious traffic issues to win the Grade 1 Preakness Stakes, the second jewel of racing’s Triple Crown, at Pimlico on May 17, was named a finalist in the 3-Year-Old Male category.

One of the more consistent performers in 2025, Journalism stamped himself as a serious Kentucky Derby contender by sweeping the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes and the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby in Southern California.

After finishing second as the betting favorite in the Kentucky Derby, Journalism unleashed a rousing stretch run to defeat Gosger in the Preakness. Journalism competed in all three Triple Crown races last year, finishing second in the Belmont Stakes. He again bested Gosger in the Grade 1 Haskell Stakes at Monmouth.

Journalism also faced older horses last year, finishing a close second in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic and fourth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic.

He concluded his excellent season with four wins and three seconds in eight starts, earning $4,190,000.

Trained by Michael McCarthy and owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Bridlewood Farm, Don Alberto Stable, Robert LaPenta, and Elayne Stable Five, Journalism is scheduled to race in 2026 and then begin stallion duties at Ashford Stud, Coolmore’s U.S. base in Kentucky.

Baeza and Sovereignty are the other two finalists.

*Swore a finalist for Champion Steeplechase Horse Award

Swore, based at Fair Hill with trainer Keri Brion, blossomed after racing over jumps and is a finalist for the 2025 Eclipse Award for Champion Steeplechase Horse.

Swore won only one of 12 flat races for trainer Graham Motion, but in 2025 showed newfound ability over jumps with Brion. Owned by Stone Farm and Upland Flats Racing, the Broken Vow gelding won three of five starts over fences, including the Grade 1 Lonesome Glory Handicap.

Swore finished his season with a 5 3/4-length victory in the restricted AFLAC Supreme Hurdle Stakes on November 15.

Cool Jet and Zanahiyr are the other finalists.