LAUREL, MD. 01-20-14---As luck would have it, Victor Carrasco’s last day with the weight allowance was Saturday when he took home honors as the best apprentice rider in North America for 2013.

This afternoon at Laurel Park, the 21-year-old rode as a journeyman for the first time, going winless with six mounts though he finished in the money three times.

“The business will go down a little bit because everyone loves the bug,” Carrasco said. “But I don’t expect much drop off because I am going to continue to work hard.”

Carrasco became the 10^th Maryland-based rider to earn the Eclipse Award for outstanding apprentice, leading all first-year riders in wins (215) and earnings ($4,357,715). He received 172 of the 249 first-place votes (69%) to easily out-distance fellow finalists Edgard Zayas and Manny Franco.

“I don’t know how to explain how I felt when they called my name,” Carrasco added. “All my family and friends were there and the family of my agent Tom Stift. To be able to have them be part of it was special. Winning the Eclipse was a goal and to be able to win it was really, really big.”

Carrasco finished his bug year with 228 victories and nearly $4.7 million in earnings.

He is currently tied with Alex Cintron atop the Laurel Park winter standings with 12 first place finishes.

About Laurel Park

Laurel Park is a Stronach Group company, North America’s leading Thoroughbred racetrack owner/operator. The Stronach Group racetracks include Santa Anita Park, Gulfstream Park & Casino, Golden Gate Fields, Portland Meadows, Laurel Park and Pimlico Race Course, home of the world-famous Preakness. The company owns and operates the Palm Meadows Training Center in Florida and is one of North America's top race horse breeders through its award-winning Adena Springs operation. The Stronach Group is one of the world's largest suppliers of pari-mutuel wagering systems, technologies and services. Its companies include AmTote, a global leader in wagering technology; Xpressbet, an Internet and telephone account wagering service; and Monarch Content Management, which acts as a simulcast purchase and sales agent of horseracing content for numerous North American racetracks and wagering outlets. The Stronach Group is also a major producer of televised horse racing programming through its HRTV cable and satellite network and is North America's premier supplier of virtual online horse racing games, as well as a leading producer of social media content for the horseracing industry.