2017 SEASON: had another outstanding year in Maryland with 31 victories … tied for fifth at Laurel’s winter-spring meet with 14 wins and ranked sixth in purse earnings ($513,877) … ranked seventh in wins (10) and purses ($309,720) at Laurel’s summer stand … sent El Areeb out for wins in the Jerome (G2) and Withers (G2) to open the year before a knee fracture knocked him off the Triple Crown trail … locally won the Nellie Morse and Maryland Racing Media with Winter and the Marshua with Star Super.

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS: finished his first full year on the Maryland circuit with 25 wins…eight of his wins came during Laurel’s winter-spring meet, saddling another seven at the year-ending fall stand…ranked in the top 10 in purse earnings at Laurel’s summer and fall meets…earned stakes wins in the Frank Whiteley Jr. with Never Gone South and the James F. Lewis III with El Areeb…owned by M M G Stables, El Areeb entered 2017 as one of the top prospects on the Triple Crown trail…spent 12 years based at Parx Racing in Pennsylvania before relocating to Maryland in 2016…established career highs with 79 wins and $2,278,798 in purse earnings from 272 starters in 2014…earned his first graded stakes victory with Javerre in the 2013 General George Handicap (G3) at Laurel…came to the U.S. in 1996 from Northern Ireland at the age of 19 after gaining experience training off his father’s farm…first win came in 1997 with a horse he bought and sent out to a 13-length victory in his debut.

PERSONAL: younger brother, Feargal, is a jockey on the Maryland circuit...son, Charlie, works as an assistant and exercise rider…another son, Anthony, works at the barn while wife, Daniela, is the stable’s bookkeeper.