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Gulfstream Park
Robert Kotran’s horse, Leather Rolex, secured his eighth straight victory Friday at Gulfstream Park, showcasing a dominant performance in Race 5 by winning a five-furlong grass option. The 4-year-old son of Buccello entered the race riding a seven-race winning streak on Gulfstream’s all-weather Tapeta surface. Trainer Joe Orseno commented, “Today was a test on the turf. He’s almost there. Bucchero is my favorite stallion, and I knew he could handle the grass. His previous turf run earned a Beyer figure of 40 at Belterra, which is different from this.” Orseno added that the horse is doing well and maintaining form, with breaks given when necessary.
Leather Rolex, a Florida gelding who debuted at Gulfstream in December 2023 with an $18,000 claiming price, took control under jockey Edgardo Zayas and narrowly held off Poseidon’s Row. Orseno noted that they are planning the horse’s next moves carefully, emphasizing they want the horse to be happy and healthy. Since his initial win under trainer Bill Morley, Leather Rolex has claimed 10 wins out of 13 races with Cotlan and Orseno. The horse was bred by Scott Herbertson from the unraced Indian mare, Sister Charlie.
Laurel Park
After a day off from racing, 17-year-old jockey Yedsit Hazlewood returned to scoring wins at Laurel Park, where he feels most at ease. Hazlewood, viewed as a top contender for the 2025 Eclipse Award for Outstanding Apprentice Jockey, has won at least one race in each of the last 23 race days at Laurel Park. The Panamanian jockey leads the Laurel standings with 64 wins, outpacing veteran Jevian Toledo by 30 victories.
Since his first win on April 4, Hazlewood has achieved 119 wins, including five stakes wins, despite missing two months due to injury. He notably claimed four wins during the Maryland Million program under trainer Gary Capuano, who was aboard for many of Hazlewood’s successes.
In Saturday’s second race, Hazlewood guided Legacy of Intrepid to a win at $3.40 odds, followed by another victory with Amazing Andy at $4, marking a strong weekend.
Oaklawn Park
Trainer H. Ray Ashford Jr., nearing his 988th career win, left an impression with standout horse D’code, who won his debut by an impressive 8¼ lengths at Hot Springs Race Course in Arkansas on December 14. This exceptional display sparked talk about prepping D’code for a major run in the Kentucky Derby.
D’code set a record with a 1:09.57 time for six furlongs, the fastest for a two-year-old at Oaklawn, and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 99, the second highest nationally for his age group in 2025. Ashford said, “He ran better than I expected. I knew he would win but not like that.”
The trainer is considering the $1 Million Southwest Stakes (G3) on January 31 for D’code’s next race, which would be his first two-turn race at Oaklawn. Jockey Christian Torres, Oaklawn’s two-time champion, piloted D’code, a gray Speightstown colt owned by Texas car dealer Tom Durant, to the win. D’code had ten workouts before his debut, showing strong early speed and maturity.
Additionally, apprentice jockey Amir Mendoza notched his first double win in North America on Friday with victories in races three and eight, riding Mad About Marie and Gloriette, respectively.
Trainer Kenny McPeek hinted up to three horses might run in the Smarty Jones Stakes, the first Kentucky Derby points race at Oaklawn. Among those eyed are Sleep for Freedom, Universe, and Honey’s Fault. McPeek, who won the Smarty Jones in 2022 and produced a Derby winner in 2024, remains optimistic about his stable.
Fan Take:
Leather Rolex’s continued winning streak and promising grass form at Gulfstream demonstrates the exciting potential for turf specialists, while D’code’s record-breaking debut at Oaklawn fuels enthusiasm for fresh Derby hopefuls. These stories highlight the dynamic mix of emerging talent and seasoned strategy that keeps horse racing vibrant and thrilling for fans.
