Trainer Daniel Velazquez achieved a significant career milestone on October 24, saddling two impressive winners on Showcase Day at Belmont Park. While many were focused on Maryland Million day, Velazquez, a Mid-Atlantic based trainer, demonstrated his skill by securing victories with two New York-breds in stakes races for juveniles. This success marked a notable achievement for Velazquez, who has dedicated his life to the sport of horse racing.
Laobanonaprayer’s Emphatic Maiden Win
In the second race, the Maid of the Mist Stakes, Laobanonaprayer, a maiden with two previous starts at Delaware Park, delivered a commanding performance. The filly, who went off at odds of 8.60-1, graduated impressively, winning by 5 1/2 lengths. Velazquez expressed confidence in his charge, stating, “We knew she was prepared and ready.”
Velazquez acquired the daughter of Laoban, a New York sire, for $15,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale of two-year-olds in training. He was particularly drawn to her pedigree, noting that her sire’s success at longer distances gave him confidence in her ability to appreciate the mile of the Maid of the Mist. The addition of blinkers proved beneficial, helping Laobanonaprayer overcome a tendency to not switch leads at Delaware Park. Kendrick Carmouche rode Laobanonaprayer in this victory, delivering what Velazquez described as a “perfect race.”
As a New York-bred by a New York sire, Laobanonaprayer is eligible for lucrative New York-bred and New York Stallion Series races. This program’s incentives were a significant factor in her appeal at the sale. Velazquez was particularly pleased with the purchase price, emphasizing her physicality and the current popularity of the sire. Laoban’s progeny has been performing well, with Simply Ravishing winning the Grade 1 Alcibiades Stakes just days before Laobanonaprayer’s triumph. Velazquez is considering cutting Laobanonaprayer back to seven furlongs for the Fifth Avenue Division of the New York Stallion Series on December 6, aiming to add to her current earnings of $95,000.
Brooklyn Strong’s Commanding Performance
In the third race, the Sleepy Hollow Stakes, Brooklyn Strong, another New York-bred, demonstrated his potential with a decisive victory. Having already broken his maiden at Delaware Park in September and securing a third-place finish in the Bertram F. Bongard Stakes, Brooklyn Strong was the third choice at 3.80-1. He won the Sleepy Hollow by 2 1/4 lengths. Velazquez described the son of Wicked Strong as a “really cool little guy” and noted that “for him, the longer the better.”
José Ortiz, a leading rider on the NYRA circuit, was in the saddle for Brooklyn Strong’s win. He credited Velazquez’s instructions, stating, “Danny said to just put him where he’s comfortable and that made it easy for me.” Ortiz praised the horse’s determination, adding, “My horse ran well. He never quit and kept going forward.” He also commended Velazquez’s training abilities, noting his upbringing in a horseman’s family and his father’s success as a trainer.
Mark Schwartz, owner of Brooklyn Strong, purchased the gelding for a remarkably low $5,000 at the OBS sale in April. He expressed his satisfaction with the acquisition, stating that Velazquez had recognized the horse’s potential. Brooklyn Strong has earned $112,000 to date.
Velazquez’s Journey and Future Plans
Daniel Velazquez began training horses independently in 2009, though he spent his initial years working alongside his father, trainer Alfredo “Freddie” Velazquez. After a brief riding career, he chose to pursue training. It took him a decade to achieve his first stakes win, and he followed it with a second stakes victory just about a half-hour later on Showcase Day. Velazquez recently began focusing more on New York-breds, recognizing the strength of the breeding program and the opportunities it presents.
Velazquez plans to remain at Delaware Park until its backstretch closes, after which he will establish his stable at Parx. He is looking forward to potentially another successful weekend in December, as he intends to run Brooklyn Strong in the Remsen Stakes (G2) the day before Laobanonaprayer’s scheduled race. The trainer acknowledged the significance of his recent success, calling it “an experience” and highlighting the hard work that contributed to these victories.
