By Dick Jerardi
Like so many others in the sport, Parx trainer Miguel Penaloza had a rough 2020. After his stable had 37 wins and earned $1,261,787 in 2019, it was just nine wins last year.
Last Saturday, however, that was Penaloza in the winner’s circle at Laurel Park after 6-year-old Share the Ride won the Grade III $250,000 General George Stakes impressively.
“That was pretty awesome,’’ the trainer said.
Owner Silvino Ramirez had been watching Share the Ride for a while hoping that someday the horse would be entered in a claiming race. That day was July 5, 2020, at Monmouth Park. The claiming price was $16,000. Ramirez pounced and Share the Ride, who has been training at Parx with Penaloza, has gone on to win the Mr. Prospector Stakes at Monmouth, finish second in the Grade III Bold Ruler at Belmont, win the Grade III Fall Highweight at Aqueduct, finishing second in the Fire Plug at Laurel and third in the Grade III Toboggan at Aqueduct.
Not bad for a $16,000 claim. Penaloza has 12 horses in his barn at the moment, but there is no doubt about the star. That would be Share the Ride. The horse has won nearly $388,000 since the claim.
“Basically, it’s teamwork with the owner,’’ Penaloza said.
They never really thought Share the Ride would be in a claiming race, but when he was, they were ready. The rest is history.
“We always remember that,’’ Penaloza said.
Some of Penaloza’s other good horses in his career include Wildcat Combat and Crazy Daisy. Those horses won a combined 15 races and more than $500,000 in their careers, the bulk of their accomplishments coming with Penaloza as the trainer.
“I’ve been lucky,’’ Penaloza said. “I’ve had a couple of horses, we’ve made it from claiming to stakes. But this one is special.’’
That would be Share the Ride who has taken his owner and trainer on quite a ride over the last seven months.
“This horse is different,’’ Penaloza said. “It feels really good. We’re always thinking positively. The owners always believe in me,’’
Which is how you get from a down year to a $16,000 claim that has done nothing but run great ever since.
