McCarthy takes Laurel riding title, four tie for leading trainer

(L to R) Juan Vazquez, Claudio Gonzalez, Kieron Magee and Hugh McMahon tied for Laurel’s training title (Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club)

The Laurel Park winter meeting ended on Saturday with apprentice
rider Trevor McCarthy winning the jockey title and four conditioners sharing the
trainer championship. The 42-day stand began at the central Maryland track on
January 1. Five live racing days were lost to inclement weather.

The day began with Hugh McMahon, Juan Vazquez, Claudio
Gonzalez and Kieron Magee tied atop the standings with 19 victories and it
stayed that way.

The battle came down to the 375th and final race of the
meet. McMahon and Gonzalez had starters in the finale but neither Baby Titan nor
Even Shower hit the board. The two trainers combined to go 0-for-7 on the
10-race card.

Vazquez went winless with four starters Saturday afternoon,
which included a narrow loss by Cotton Won in the 8TH race. The four-year-old colt
looked to be a winner before 15-1 shot Dancin n’ Dealin caught him in the final
jumps.

Magee did not have any runners on closing day. He finished
the meet with an impressive 30 percent winning percentage.

Trevor McCarthy took Laurel’s jockey title (Jim McCue/Maryland Jockey Club)

McCarthy topped the jockey standings with 54 first-place
finishes, 16 more than Victor Carrasco. The 19-year-old had 18 multiple win days
during the meet. The son of former rider Mike McCarthy will become a journeyman
next month. Last year he ranked fourth in victories and was third in earnings
among apprentice riders.

McCarthy finished fifth in the voting for outstanding
apprentice rider despite missing five months with a broken left tibia. Carrasco
became the 10th Maryland-based jockey to win the Eclipse Award for top
apprentice rider.

“I really would have liked a chance at winning the Eclipse
Award last year but I got hurt,” McCarthy said. “So my goal is to get near
Carrasco’s stats as an apprentice before I lose the bug on April 19.”

Carrasco finished his bug year with 228 victories and
nearly $4.7 million in earnings. McCarthy has 212 winners with $5.6 million in
earnings.

Midwest Thoroughbreds Inc. topped the owner standings with
12 victories.

Live racing shifts to historic Pimlico Race Course on
Thursday for the 35-day spring meeting, headlined by the 139th running
of the $1.5 million Preakness Stakes, the middle jewel of racing’s Triple
Crown, on May 17. First post for opening day is 1:10 p.m. (EDT).