Jockey Leandro Briceno rides three winners
LAUREL, MD—”He reminds me a lot of Walt’s Notion, in that nothing really bothers him,” trainer Phil Capuano said Sunday afternoon after first-time starter Jerry Inspires made two moves to win a $47,000 seven-furlong maiden special weight race at Laurel Park.
That’s high praise, considering Walt’s Notion, the winner of the $100,000 James F. Lewis III Stakes and second in the restricted Maryland Million Nursery, is one of the Capuano barn’s standout horses.
“He’s done everything professionally,” Capuano continued after welcoming jockey Jeiron Barbosa to the winner’s circle. “He’s just been a nice horse from the get-go. He’s pretty quick.”
Jerry Inspires broke sharply and sparred for the lead between rail-drawn Start the Clock and a three-wide Konrad’s Corner, posting an opening quarter in 22.55 seconds.
For a brief moment, it looked as if Jerry Inspires was in deep water. He dropped back at the three-eighths pole, letting Konrad’s Corner and a wide Knee High take the lead after a half-mile in 45.78 seconds.
“I thought, ‘man, he’s dropping back,’” Capuano said. “But Barbosa still [wasn’t] really asking him. And then, once he angled out, he made another move and bears down on him.”
Undaunted by the ground loss on the turn, Barbosa maneuvered Jerry Inspires outside and into the clear. The 2-year-old responded with a solid late burst, prevailing by 2¾ lengths over the late-running Lasting Peace. Konrad’s Corner finished third, three-quarters of a length behind the runner-up. Start the Clock, Knee High, and the favored Bet Me followed.
Jerry Inspires, the longest shot on the board, covered the distance in 1:26.25 and paid $23. Seismic Surge was scratched.
“It was just a really good ride by Barbosa, too, to take out of that speed duel with horses on his inside and outside, then angle out and make another run,” Capuano said. “I was a little worried about the seven-eighths distance-wise, but it probably ended up helping him. He needed that seven-eighths to get the job done.”
Barbosa, who rode two winners on Sunday’s card, was also impressed. “I think he has a good future. Phil told me he’s pretty quick and to try to save ground as much as I could. And that’s what I did. I’m just really patient, and I felt like I had a lot of horse, but my horse didn’t give me the kick at the three-eighths. I waited and tried to find the clear. At the quarter-pole, when he saw the clear, he finished really strong. I think he’s a really smart horse. He got dirt in his face, and he didn’t stop.”
Bred in Maryland by Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Bowman and Rebecca Davis, Jerry Inspires is sired by Engage out of Munning’s Favorite (by Munnings). His second dam, Golddigger Beware (by Prenup), was a multiple stakes-placed dirt sprinter. Jerry Inspires races in the silks of owner Louis Ulman.
“We bought him privately from another client of mine who was getting out [of the business],” Capuano said. “I went and looked at him [around] January or February in Virginia. For the right price, we took a shot with him. He bucked shins in early June, so we gave him a little time, and sent him to Delaware. Credit to Tori [Capuano’s sister and an excellent horsewoman] and everyone up there. They do a great job. Delaware has been good to our family, that’s for sure.”
As for what’s next, Capuano said, “We’ll probably let him run once against winners in an allowance race because that’s really the test. Beating maidens is one thing, but running against winners is another. I think he’s the kind of horse who, once he gets more experience, should continue to develop and blossom.”
*Jockey Leandro Briceno rides three winners
Jockey Leandro Briceno had a banner day, winning three races on the program.
The seven-pound apprentice rider guided favored Nantucket Love ($3.40) to a rousing 12-length victory in the third race, wired the field aboard trainer Nancy Heil’s Pneumo Warrior ($3.80) in the fourth, and kept Nial and Pray ($3.80) wide and in the clear in the finale for trainer Joe Murphy.
After completing his hat trick, Briceno told TMJC’s Emily Fewster that he began riding in Panama in 2022.
Briceno, a native of Venezuela, spent two years at jockey school in Panama. He came to the United States, rode for about six months at Gulfstream and in Ohio, and won eight races from 91 mounts in 2023.
Briceno stepped away from riding for a bit, but began galloping horses in Maryland for a couple of years “just to take my time and gain experience.”
Returning to racing in August, Briceno, a close friend of Maryland’s leading rider of 2025, Yedsit Hazlewood, won with his second mount back at Delaware Park. He is currently tied for third in the Laurel Park jockey standings, two wins behind the leader, Jaime Rodriguez.
When asked about his goals, Briceno said, “I have big dreams. I want to try for better opportunities here and at different tracks.”
*Around the track:
For the second consecutive day, trainer Robbie Bailes won two races at Laurel Park. Bailes has won with 10 of 25 starters since October 22, including Nantucket Love, claimed for $20,000 by Anthony Farrior, and first-time starter Razorknife ($8.40), ridden by jockey Carlos Lopez.
Live racing resumes Friday with a ten-race program. Gates open at 11 am ET, and the first post is at 12:00 pm ET. Two “Value Pick 5” wagers feature a LOW 12% takeout.
The free “Laurel Park Handicapping Guide” is available on every race day. It features picks, analysis, trainer stats, trip notes, horses to watch, track bias information, and more from The Maryland Jockey Club’s handicapping team. Friday’s guide is available Thursday evening. Click here to view it.
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’s X account. Click here to watch.
Visit the Maryland Horse Library and Education Center in Reisterstown on Wednesday, November 18, from 6 to 8 pm for a special screening of “Pimlico from the Heart.” Produced by Eclipse Award-winning racing writer John Scheinmann and featuring fellow Eclipse Award-winning racing writer Vinnie Perrone, the film follows the two friends as they revisit the historic Pimlico racetrack one final time before its demolition, reminiscing about the horses, people, and events that made “Old Hilltop” so special. Reserve your spot here.