Apprentice Urizar Velazquez earns first career win

Urizar Velazquez won his first career professional race. Photo by Jim McCue, Maryland Jockey Club.

From a Maryland Jockey Club release

Brian McFarlane’s 3-year-old gelding Free to Trump was a gate-to-wire winner of Thursday’s fourth race to give apprentice jockey Urizar Velazquez his first career winner in his professional debut.

Free to Trump ($11) broke from Post 5 in the field of seven and set fractions of 23.13, 46.48 and 58.48 seconds, completing 5 ½ furlongs in 1:04.77 over a fast main track to take the $18,000 maiden claiming event for 3-year-olds and up by 2 ¼ lengths.

It was the first win from 16 career starts for Free to Trump, a son of Freedom Child based at Laurel with trainer Brandon McFarlane.

Velazquez, who turned 26 July 22 and rides with a 10-pound weight allowance, is a native of Chiapas, Mexico. He said he initially intended to start his riding career in South Florida but was sidelined by injury.

“I started riding at Gulfstream [Park] and then I stopped for two years because I got hurt,” he said. “This is my first race back, and I’m glad to be here. I’m so happy. I’m blessed. I hope to get many more winners like this.”