Claudio Gonzalez and Jevian Toledo, who took top honors at Laurel Park's recently concluded fall meet, were the leading trainer and jockey, respectively, in Maryland during 2017.
Gonzalez finished 2017 as Maryland's overall leading trainer with 84 victories, capping the calendar year with three consecutive winners. He dethroned Kieron Magee, Maryland's leading trainer in 2014, 2015 and 2016.
Gonzalez won four stakes during the fall meet, highlighted by the GIII Frank J. De Francis Memorial Dash Sept. 16 with Chublicious.
“I'm very happy because it's not easy here,” Gonzalez said. “There's a lot of good trainers with a lot of experience. My people, my employees, are the key because I have a very good group. They work together. The owners bring better horses and we're claiming for more money and that makes a difference. They understand, anything we put in for the right price have a chance to win. I want to continue to win races and continue to work hard. If you're working hard, everything comes to you.”
The fall meet was Toledo's fourth Maryland title. The 23-year-old, represented by agent Marty Leonard, had 144 wins in 2017.
“First of all I have to thank God, without him we cannot do anything,” Toledo said. “I have to thank all the owners and trainers for the opportunities. The exercise riders and the grooms they do a good job with the horses. My agent has done a great job. I had really good support this year, and every single year all the trainers and owners here help me a lot. Thank God we had the title again this year. It's pretty nice.”
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