Cedeno Rides 1,000th Winner With Laurel Score

Newtown Anner Stud Farm's Perpetrate emerged from a three-way photo finish a head in front Jan. 2 at Laurel Park to give jockey Carol Cedeno her 1,000th career victory. The Miguel Vera-trained Perpetrate completed the mile of Laurel's fifth race, a $16,000 nonwinners-of-two claimer, over a muddy and sealed main track in 1:39.59. "I'm so happy because not too many girls from Puerto Rico come here and do good," Cedeno said. "When I came to the U.S., everybody gave me a hand and I appreciate that. Everybody helped me, the trainers and owners. Everybody was happy with my job and they keep helping me. Thank God I'm doing good." Cedeno had limited exposure to horses growing up in Puerto Rico before attending jockey school, coming to the U.S. shortly after graduating at age 18. She rode five winners at El Commandante—renamed Camarero—prior to her arrival, leaving her to make her mainland debut April 9, 2007, at Philadelphia Park, now known as Parx Racing. It was at Philadelphia Park later that month where Cedeno registered her first mainland victory aboard Coco's Gold. Cedeno finished her initial season with 120 wins from 989 mounts, both career highs. The mother of two children, ages 11 and 8, Cedeno has made the occasional return to ride in Puerto Rico, as recently as last March, when she won aboard New Year Express at Camarero. "I know they are watching me. It's hard because I want to spend more time with my kids," Cedeno said. "My mom, she helps me. They're getting big and they ask me all the time to be with them, and I try to do my best." A multiple graded-stakes placed jockey, Cedeno set a career-high with $2,818,981 in purse earnings in 2020 by winning 112 races, the third time she has won 110 or more races since 2016. She finished tied for fifth at Laurel's truncated winter meet in early 2020 with 19 wins from 83 mounts. Cedeno is a six-time leading rider at Delaware Park, tying Michael McCarthy—father of five-time Maryland riding champion Trevor McCarthy—for the most in track history. She has finished first in 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018, 2019, and 2020, ranking second in 2017. On July 11, 2018, Cedeno set a Delaware Park record with seven winners on a 10-race card. Among the best horses that Cedeno has ridden are 2019 First State Dash winner Golden Candy, multiple stakes winner Speechifying, 2009 Violet Stakes (G3T) runner-up Always for Love, and stakes-placed Maryland-bred Dancer's Melody. "Just working hard, never give up," Cedeno said of the secret to her success. "Sometimes you have bad moments. Never give up, just keep working hard and coming back."