Garcia, Lake, Cole best in Maryland

Jockey Luis Garcia, trainer Scott Lake, and owner Robert Cole finished 2007 as the leaders at Maryland's major tracks.

Lake and Cole also finished at the top of the standings for Laurel Park's 17-week fall meeting, which ended last Saturday. Garcia, who missed nearly six weeks with a broken wrist, was second in the fall meet's rider standings.

Garcia, 23, had 140 victories at Laurel and Pimlico in 2007. He captured the Pimlico spring and Laurel summer meet riding titles, and earned a career-best $4.3 million.

Horacio Karamanos (116), the leading rider at Laurel's fall meet with 55 winners, and Jeremy Rose (111) were the only other riders to win more than 100 races during the 180 live days at Laurel and Pimlico.

Lake, 42, saddled 113 winners at Laurel and Pimlico, 47 more than John Rigattieri. Lake captured the Laurel winter, Pimlico spring, and Laurel fall training titles.

Cole was the state's top owner for the second consecutive year. His horses won 33 of 120 starts. He finished third nationally in wins and ranked in the top 15 in earnings.-