Maryland Jockey Club Photo
David Joseph/Maryland Jockey Club
LAUREL, Md. – After spending the winter riding at Gulfstream Park during its prestigious Championship Meet, jockey Jorge Ruiz is set to make his return to Maryland this weekend at Laurel Park.
Ruiz, 37, is named in three of nine races Friday at Laurel including first-time starter Contempt trained by Graham Motion in Race 6, a maiden claimer for 3-year-olds; and Greg Tatum Racing’s Fast Tracked, who he rode to a runner-up finish in the 2022 Maryland Juvenile Fillies, in Race 7, a one-mile allowance for Maryland-bred/sired females.
The Venezuela native is also named on Steve Newby’s Vance Scholars in Race 8, an open allowance for 3-year-olds and up going about 1 1/16 miles on the main track. When the horse was trained by Dale Capuano, Ruiz was aboard for 10 straight races from September 2021 to November 2022 including a victory in last summer’s off-the-turf Bald Eagle Derby. Following Capuano’s retirement, Vance Scholars is now trained by his nephew, Phil Capuano.
Ruiz finished ninth in Maryland with 51 wins at Laurel and historic Pimlico Race Course in 2022 to go along with nearly $2.4 million in purse earnings, also winning the Prince George’s County with Eons, the Challedon with Factor It In and Maryland Million Nursery with Johnyz From Albany, another Capuano trainee. Though his overall win total dipped from 93 to 69 last year, he reached a career high with $3.33 million in purses earned.
“We had a good year last year in Maryland. I was working with Dale Capuano. We had a lot of winners, and we won the stakes together,” Ruiz said. “A lot of people have been good and they support me. I look forward to being back.”
Ruiz had 13 wins, 20 seconds and 17 thirds with $568,255 in purse earnings over the winter at Gulfstream. Eight of his wins came for trainer Jimmy Toner, including a natural hat trick March 25. His average win payoff was $14.57.
“We had a good winter with Jimmy. I have to thank Jimmy and the owners for giving me the chance to ride their horses,” Ruiz said. “I’m going to Keeneland to ride for Jimmy on [April] 23 and 26.”
A winner of 923 races in Venezuela, Ruiz earned his first domestic victory on 80-1 long shot Star Milly Aug. 21, 2016, at Gulfstream. He moved his tack to Maryland full-time in 2018 and won 65 races in 2019, 43 in pandemic-shortened 2020 and 83 in 2021.
“I’m very happy with how the winter went. My first start in the USA was Gulfstream Park,” Ruiz said. “Now I am happy to ride in Maryland.”
