Magee, Torrealba Take Laurel Spring Meet Titles

Veteran trainer Kieron Magee defended his crown while five-pound apprentice J. G. Torrealba, riding in his first full meet in Maryland, won twice on Sunday’s closing day card to capture his first career riding title Sunday at Laurel Park.

Magee was winless with two seconds from four starters on the program but held on to earn his second straight spring meet title, 11-10, over Jerry Robb, who had one winner, 2-year-old Studlydoright ($11), in Sunday’s opener.

Over the 15-day spring meet Magee won at least one race nine times, taking over the lead with a stretch of four wins from 11 starters including doubles April 27 and May 3. Two of his wins came with 5-year-old gelding Rominski, who has won five of his last six starts dating back to December. Together he and Torrealba had three wins and two seconds from 11 races.

“It means a lot. We’ll have a little party at the barn for the guys,” Magee said. “It’s all due to my help. I have great help, and you have to get lucky with entries and everything else. Everything just sort of fell into place so we’re happy.”

A native of Ireland who worked as an exercise rider for retired trainer Dale Capuano after coming to the U.S., Magee led all Maryland trainers in wins from 2014-2016 and now owns or shares a total of 11 meet titles at Laurel and historic Pimlico Race Course.

Magee is based year-round at Pimlico, where live racing in Maryland moves for the Preakness Meet starting Thursday, May 9 and running through a special Memorial Day holiday program May 27. The 149th Preakness Stakes (G1), middle jewel of the Triple Crown, will be run May 18 preceded by the 100th Black-Eyed Susan (G2) for 3-year-old fillies May 17.

Torrealba registered at least one win on 14 of 15 days including each of the first 13, notching a hat trick April 12 and prior doubles April 6, 7, 14, 20 and May 3, also emerging unscathed from an April 21 spill. Among his April 20 wins was Copper Tax in the Federico Tesio, earning the 3-year-old colt an automatic berth in the Preakness.

“I didn’t expect it, but we’ve been working hard and God has blessed me with the talent and the opportunity,” Torrealba said through fellow rider Angel Cruz. “I got here and I’ve been blessed with a lot of winners. I just want to keep doing what I do best and ride horses.”

Sunday’s winners came with Forgotten Gift ($15) in Race 5 and Marley’s Ghost ($4.40) in Race 7, giving Torrealba a 22-18 edge over runner-up Jaime Rodriguez, Maryland’s overall leading rider in 2023 that captured Laurel’s calendar year-opening winter meet.

Torrealba, 22, grew up in Venezuela with no family ties to racing or plans to make his living as a jockey, but fell in love with the sport watching the races and by 2019 he was riding. With the help of Laurel-based trainer Jose Corrales, Torrealba came to the U.S. in September 2022 and ultimately landed in Ohio.

Torrealba made his U.S. debut April 24, 2023 at Thistledown and rode his first winner the following day with Fast as Fast Can B. He won 23 of 161 races (14 percent) and banked $620,669 in purse earnings before heading out west, where he went 3-for-57 at Del Mar’s summer stand. Torrealba stayed the fall in Southern California, tying for seventh (from 49 mounts) at Santa Anita and fifth (from 31 mounts) at Del Mar with six wins apiece.

Represented by agent Simon Purdy, Torrealba rode his first Maryland races Jan. 27 at Laurel, notching his first two wins with Lisa’s Palace and Musical Heart Feb. 3. He would end the winter meet with the fifth-most winners (19) and sixth-highest earnings ($679,018) from 127 mounts and scored his first career stakes win on Copper Tax in the March 23 Private Terms.

“I just want to thank my agent and all the trainers and owners because they give me a chance, and all the jockeys here that help me,” Torrealba said. “I have to thank God and I just want to keep going and keep working hard.”

Mens Grille Racing’s Studlydoright came through an opening on the rail in midstretch under Xavier Perez and edged clear for a 1½-length victory over late-running favorite Sir Mick in Sunday’s opener, a 4 ½-furlong maiden special weight sprint for 2-year-olds.

Studlydoright trailed by eight lengths after an opening quarter-mile in 23.48 seconds, steadily gained ground as the half went in 47.27 and had plenty of room as pacesetting Ace It drifted out once straightened for home, completing the distance in 53.32 seconds over a sloppy main track.

“I didn’t know what to expect with the mud, I’d never breezed him on it. It looked like he was [struggling] early but he flattened out and came running,” winning trainer Jerry Robb said. “You’re always worried about the short distance because he wants to go longer, but it worked out.”

A son of champion Nyquist out of stakes-winning mare Peach of a Gal, Studlydoright fetched $110,000 during Fasig-Tipton’s Midlantic Eastern Fall Yearling Sale in 2023 at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium.

“I try to buy horses that are bred in January [or] February and get them ready early,” Robb said of approach with 2-year-olds. “The racing’s a lot easier and you can do a lot more with them, especially the stakes.”

Maryland’s first juvenile race of the year, a 4½-furlong maiden special weight sprint for fillies, was won by Joel Politi’s Maryland homebred Biscuitwiththeboss Saturday at Laurel. Ridden by Angel Cruz for trainer Brittany Russell, the daughter of Grade 2 winner Holy Boss edged longshot Safe Trust by a neck in 53.66 seconds.