McCarthy's rise story of 2014 in Maryland

In Maryland, 2014 was the year of Trevor McCarthy.

The 20-year-old native of Delaware was the leading rider at all three of Maryland’s major meets: Laurel winter-spring, Pimlico, and Laurel fall-winter.

Through Dec. 29, he was tied for sixth in the nation with 263 wins and was 20th in purse earnings, with more than $8.1 million. McCarthy won his first graded stakes in 2014, taking the Grade 2 Delaware Oaks on Fortune Pearl and the Grade 3 Boiling Springs at Monmouth Park on Munirah. Both horses are trained by Graham Motion.

Victor Carrasco, the Eclipse Award-winning apprentice of 2013, also had a solid year, and with one day of racing yet to come was on the verge of finishing second to McCarthy at all three Maryland meets.

◗ With one card left in 2014, Claudio Gonzalez held a five-win lead over Michael Trombetta in the Laurel fall trainer standings. Gonzalez also finished in a four-way tie for the Laurel winter-spring title with Kieron Magee, Hugh McMahon, and Juan Vazquez. Over the summer, Gonzalez based his stable at Monmouth rather than Pimlico, where he won 21 races.

The overall Maryland training title of 2014 went to Magee, who with one day remaining had won 55 races in the state. Magee was leading trainer at the Pimlico meet.