Jockey Ferrin Peterson Makes Winning Impression Friday
Jockey Ferrin Peterson Makes Winning Impression Friday
Maryland’s Leading Apprentice Marquez Back on Home Turf
Saturday’s Winter Carnival Offers Six Stakes Worth $550,000
LAUREL, MD – Jockey Ferrin Peterson got off to a winning start on her first day in Maryland, booting home Spanish d’Oro to a 9-1 upset victory in Friday’s ninth race finale at Laurel Park.
Trained by Hamilton Smith and owned by his older brother, Franklin ‘Goree”’ Smith, Spanish d’Oro ($20.20) ran seven furlongs in 1:45.81 over a fast main track to capture the maiden claiming event for 3-year-olds by a length over fellow long shot Goldie’s Boy.
Peterson, 28, had two mounts on Friday’s card, also finishing seventh on Lisbeth Dodd, John Cocce, Peter Donnely and Reginald Hyde’s One More Nightcap in Race 5 for trainer Pat McBurney. Peterson broke One More Nightcap’s maiden last summer at Monmouth Park.
“I’m still in a bit of shock. I was just excited to be riding two horses today,” Peterson said. “I’m thrilled. Just coming down the stretch and feeling my horse really take hold of the bit and want to go on with it. It wasn’t exactly what I was expecting and so that was a great feeling. After that, it was pretty smooth sailing. Especially to win for someone that just gave me the opportunity … Hammy hadn’t seen me ride before naming me on the horse, so that meant a lot.”
Laurel is the latest stop for Peterson, a native of California and part-time veterinarian who launched her professional riding career in 2018 at Golden Gate Fields while still in school, winning 10 of 144 starts.
Peterson had five wins from 96 mounts in 2019 and began 2020 as an apprentice, moving East and losing the bug over the summer at Monmouth Park where she finished second to perennial leading rider Paco Lopez with 42 wins. She also ranked second during the subsequent Meadowlands at Monmouth meet with eight wins and finished the year with 50 wins from 335 mounts and more than $1.6 million in purse earnings.
“I already came in feeling confident. All the trainers and agents I’ve been talking to around here have been giving me really positive reinforcement about people giving new jockeys opportunities,” Peterson said. “But, to have that happen on my opening day, that was a huge blessing and unexpected surprise. And to be able to do it on a horse with long odds, he showed something he hadn’t yet.”
Peterson was able to hustle Spanish d’Oro, making his fourth career start, into a stalking position from Post 11 behind Goldie’s Boy through fractions of 24.08 and 48.15 seconds before forging a short lead at the top of the stretch and powering down the center of the track.
“He broke really well from the gate and he hadn’t before, and being on the outside I knew I was going to need to break sharp and get over,” Peterson said. “We had a lot of horses to clear and so having that kind of break allowed us to do that and get in the position I wanted so we could save as much ground as we could.”
Before Friday, Peterson hadn’t ridden since Dec. 12 at Aqueduct during a short stint in New York. She began galloping horses again Jan. 9, both at Laurel and Pimlico Race Course, and is named on R Awesum Betty Sunday and Petes Pride on Monday’s special Martin Luther King Jr. holiday program.
“Sunday I’m riding one for a trainer I won with at Monmouth, Michael Moore. The horse is shipping in from Parx. I haven’t ridden this horse before but I won for the trainer and these owners before. That was really neat to see that connections coming back,” she said. “And then on Monday I have one for [trainer] Mario Serey. I’ve met him a couple times I’ve been out to Pimlico this week. It’s great to see these new trainers who have never worked with me already giving me an opportunity.”
Maryland’s Leading Apprentice Marquez Back on Home Turf
Having spent the fall and early winter chasing his dream in New York, teenage jockey Charlie Marquez – Maryland’s leading apprentice rider of 2020 – is back in familiar surroundings.
Marquez, who turns 18 Jan. 25, had two mounts as live racing returned to Laurel Park Friday. The Columbia, Md. native finished second with Milam Racing Stables’ Hydra in Race 2, a starter optional claimer for older females, and was seventh after pressing the pace on Komlo LLC’s Determined Honor in Race 3, a maiden special weight for 3-year-old fillies.
“[Hydra] ran very well. I knew Vic’s Cool Cat was going to be tough and I thought [1-2 favorite Uno Tigress] was going to be tough in there, too, but I don’t think she liked being down on the inside,” Marquez said. “I kind of just tried to keep Hydra engaged and keep the favorite down on the fence.
“When we kicked on down the lane, she kind of kicked on with them but Vic’s Cool Cat just kind of ran away from us,” he added. “[Determined Honor], she ran great, I thought. I think she may be been in a little over her head but she can definitely win for claiming $10,000.”
Friday marked the first time riding back in Maryland for Marquez since closing day of Laurel’s extended summer meet last Sept. 19, before moving his tack to Belmont Park and then Aqueduct with Hall of Fame jockey Angel Cordero Jr. as his agent.
“It feels great. I love being home,” Marquez said. “There’s nothing like home. New York was fun and it was a great learning experience, but I’d much rather be home with my family and all the horses I’m familiar with and my jocks’ room family.”
Marquez made his professional debut at age 16 running fourth on Up Hill Battle Jan. 1 at Laurel, getting his first win eight days later on his eighth career mount, Sierra Leona. Marquez would go on to rank third at Laurel’s winter meet, cut short when live racing was paused in Maryland for 2 ½ months from mid-March to late May amid the coronavirus pandemic, registering hat tricks March 8 and 15. He was also third at Laurel’s summer stand, compiling seven multi-win days.
Overall, Marquez’s 58 wins were the most of any apprentice in Maryland last year and put him in a tie with Xavier Perez for sixth overall behind Trevor McCarthy’s (99). He continues to ride with a five-pound weight allowance.
“I thought I had a great 2020. The covid really put a stop on things,” Marquez said. “Right before covid happened, I was on fire. I was winning three a day and then covid happened. When we came back I was still winning, but I can’t really see what would have happened if covid didn’t happen. Could I have been leading rider? You never know.”
Marquez spread nine wins over three different meets in New York, going 1-for-12 in 2021 at Aqueduct before making the move back to Maryland, where he will be represented by Marty Leonard. He last rode Jan. 3 at Aqueduct.
The son and grandson of successful jockeys both in the U.S. and Puerto Rico, Marquez went down in an Oct. 10 spill at Belmont with what was initially thought to be a fractured right wrist. It turned out to be a sprain, and he rode three races Oct. 18 before taking time off and returning Nov. 14 at Aqueduct.
Marquez ended his rookie season with 71 wins and $1,981,358 in purse earnings from 531 mounts, also winning multiple races at Delaware Park and Penn National. Finalists for Eclipse Award finalists as champion apprentice of 2020 will be announced Saturday and are expected to include current Maryland regular Alexander Crispin (539 mounts, 103 wins, $2.19 million).
“Of course, it’d be a pleasure to be nominated but I’m not really thinking about it right now,” Marquez said. “If I am, then that’s great. It was a great year.”
Notes: Jockey Victor Carrasco had two wins Friday, aboard Good Measure ($9.80) in Race 1 and Daphne Moon ($4.40) in Race 4 … Trainer Mike Trombetta registered a Friday hat trick with Paradise Song ($8.20) in Race 3, Point Driven ($3.80) in Race 5 and Lookin Dynamic ($8.20) in Race 7 … Trainer Cal Lynch doubled with Charging Lion ($10.60) in Race 6 and Step by Step ($54) in Race 8 … Led by the inaugural $100,000 Spectacular Bid for 3-year-olds (Race 8) and the return of the $100,000 Xtra Heat for 3-year-old fillies (Race 7), Saturday’s nine-race Winter Carnival program features six stakes worth $550,000 in purses. First race post time is 12:25 p.m. … There will be carryovers of $3,391.94 in the 20-cent Rainbow 6 (Races 4-9), $3,252.99 in the 50-cent Late Pick 5 (Races 5-9) and $916.52 in the $1 Super Hi-5 (Race 2).
