Vargas making the most of his opportunity at Laurel Park

It’s been a chaotic year in the Laurel Park jockey colony, with injuries sidelining the most established riders and opening doors for others. At the winter meet that began Jan. 1, Jorge Vargas Jr., newly relocated from Parx Racing, has seized the opportunity and ridden 16 winners, twice as many as his nearest competitor.

Since 2013, Trevor McCarthy, Jevian Toledo, and Victor Carrasco have dominated at the Maryland Jockey Club tracks of Laurel and Pimlico. Carrasco won the 2013 Eclipse Award as leading apprentice, McCarthy topped the circuit in wins in 2014 and 2016, and Toledo led the pack in 2015 and 2017.

McCarthy dislocated a shoulder in a Monmouth Park spill in May and was out until late December. He is now riding at Aqueduct.

Carrasco hasn’t ridden since breaking a leg at Delaware Park in September. He isn’t expected to begin getting on horses until April.

Toledo was injured in a morning training accident Jan. 20. He received a good report from his doctor Tuesday and could be cleared to ride as soon as Feb. 19.

Vargas is a graduate of the famed Escuela Vocacional Hipica, the state-run jockey school in Puerto Rico that has produced so many top riders in recent years, including the Ortiz brothers, Irad and Jose. Vargas’s classmates included Toledo, Carrasco, and New York-based Manny Franco.

After riding about 150 mounts at El Camarero, Vargas received a call from jockey Angel Suarez, who relayed a message that jockey agent Donna Servis – a cousin of trainers John and Jason Servis – wanted him to come to Parx. He accepted.

Vargas, 23, has been a mainstay at Parx since 2013. He finished third in the standings in 2015 and fourth in 2016.

With the help of trainer Kieron Magee, the leading trainer in Maryland by wins from 2014-16, Vargas had a breakout day at Laurel on Dec. 9 and is off to a quick start at the winter meet.

“Jorge has been my go-to rider at Parx ever since he lost the bug,” Magee said. “In December, I had a rider lined up for my horses, but they spun me. I saw Jorge was coming down to ride that day, so I put him on everything, and we won two races, including a stakes.”

Vargas won three races on the day, including the Willa On the Move Stakes aboard Ms Locust Point for John Servis and the Howard Bender Memorial on Struth for Magee.

When Vargas learned that agent Scott Silver, who had managed the career of McCarthy and currently books mounts for Feargal Lynch, had an opening, he texted him. They teamed up around the first of the year.

“I think I was just ready to make a move,” Vargas said. “Last year, I got to know a few people in Maryland, and I’ve been thinking about it.”

Magee and Vargas are 16 for 50 together. Magee’s stable has been hot, and he is 8 for 31 at this Laurel meet. Vargas has been aboard all of his winners.

“He’s a smart guy and doesn’t get in bad spots,” Magee said. “When he pulls up alongside you, you’re in trouble because he’s very strong in the lane.

“I’ve helped him, but he’s helped me, too.”

Vargas’s quick start has attracted attention, and he is beginning to ride for more trainers, according to Silver, including Jamie Ness, Cal Lynch, and Hamilton Smith.

“I do not want to sound cocky, but I expected to do well in Maryland,” Vargas said. “I have a good agent, a great team. Feargal is a great rider. But it has taken me by surprise how quickly it has happened.”

Vargas’s lone graded stakes win came aboard the Eddie Graham-trained Postulation in the Grade 3 American St. Leger, a 1 11/16-mile turf race on the Arlington Million card last summer. He has a good chance to win his second aboard Ms Locust Point in the Grade 2 Barbara Fritchie at Laurel next Saturday.

A three-time stakes winner, Ms Locust Point is 5 for 6 with Vargas in the saddle and 3 for 3 at Laurel.

On Tuesday at Parx, Vargas worked Ms Locust Point a half-mile in 49.20 seconds.

“She worked amazing,” Vargas said. “She likes to be the thing when she is on the track. She wants everyone to know she’s there. She’s the queen.”