We canvass the 1/ST BET statistical database each week to bring you up to speed with racing at Laurel Park. Check back weekly for statistical trends and tidbits for premier racing in Maryland. And be sure to support Laurel Park by betting with 1/ST BET, the official betting app of Maryland Jockey Club.

Headlines

Racing this week will be Friday through Sunday as it has been throughout the winter calendar … Friday’s card closes with a Race 8 allowance featuring Gin Talking Stakes nose runner-up Fraudulent Charge among some potential Black-Eyed Susan trail hopefuls … Best of luck to local rider Alexander Crispin, a finalist for the 2020 Eclipse Award as the nation’s top apprentice jockey. The announcement comes at Thursday’s awards ceremony. Crispin will try to become the 12th Maryland-based rider to take leading apprentice in the honor’s 47-year history … Nominations for Laurel’s next big stakes weekend, the Feb. 13 Winter Sprintfest, will close Saturday.

Stronach 5

With the Friday cancellation at Santa Anita, it’s a Gulfstream-heavy Stronach 5 this week. Stronach 5 races this Friday, January 29, will be:

Leg A – Laurel Park Race 8 with an approximate post time of 3:55
Leg B – Gulfstream Park Race 8 with an approximate post time of 4:11
Leg C – Gulfstream Park Race 9 with an approximate post time of 4:42
Leg D – Golden Gate Fields Race 3 with an approximate post time of 4:49
Leg E – Gulfstream Park Race 10 with an approximate post time of 5:13

1/ST BET Top Factors Last Week:

Horseplayers using the 1/ST BET app saw the most success with these 3 of the 52 handicapping filters for Laurel, each posting at least 27%. Speed factors returned to the head of the list again this week as they have for much of the past few months.

Lifetime Speed
Trainer Current Year
Best Speed Fast Track

Trends Last Week

-- Trainer Dale Capuano was on the money with a 7: 3-2-2 record. Only 1 of his winners was favored, but 6 of his 7 entrants were bet to 7-2 or less. Capuano and jockey Jorge Ruiz were 4: 2-1-1 in tandem.

-- Leading trainer Claudio Gonzalez remained rock-solid at 9: 3-0-2, but his winners were just 1-2, 8-5 and 9-5 on the tote. The barn had been 6-for-36 (17%) the first few weeks of the year before this improvement.

-- Trainer Derrick Parram was perfect at 2-for-2, blowing up the tote with $31 and $41 winners. He was only 1-for-17 at Laurel in the past year leading up to these upsetters. Leonardo Corujo rode both to victory.

-- Trainer John Salzman Jr. won with both of his starters, sprinters with Charlie Marquez aboard. They paid $7 and $29. The barn is now 7: 3-2-0 since the start of first of the year.

-- Jockey Carol Cedeno made the most of limited mounts, posting a 9: 4-0-2 record and a $1.66 ROI for every $1 bet. Cedeno was 3-for-3 aboard runners sent off at 5-2 or less odds.

-- Jockey Leonardo Corujo was 11: 3-1-1 on the week with $25, $31 and $41 longshot winners. He also had an 18-1 runner-up. Corujo was 4-for-62 at Laurel since the start of December prior to this streak.

-- Favorites went 10: 5-1-1 in claiming races last week.