Jockey Jevian Toledo reaches career milestone
Northern Glow gives Russell a Mother’s Day present

BALTIMORE — Jevian Toledo was impressed.

“The horse got a lot of talent,” Toledo said after National Law rallied to win Sunday’s fourth race at Pimlico, a $49,000 first-level allowance with an optional claiming range between $62,500 and $50,000 for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles. “I felt like I had a ton of horse under me. He liked to stay with horses. He liked the competition because I felt under me that I got a ton of horse. He could have gone away [and won by more] if he wanted to.”

Toledo knows something about talented horses, as the veteran jockey celebrated his 1,700th career victory in the winner’s circle with his family.

National Law raced in last position on the first turn, but he tugged Toledo three wide on the backstretch as Hot Stott and favored Superpower dueled through fractions of 23.77 and 48.36 seconds.

Toledo made a four-wide sweeping move with Superpower on the far bend, collared Superpower and Amy’s Music, and drove home to win by a half-length in 1:44.84 over the fast track.

Amy’s Music was second, 2 ¼ lengths ahead of Superpower. Then came Tavern Time, Tethered Soul, Hot Stott, and Top Blood.

National Law returned $11 to win.

“He broke a little bit slow,” Toledo said. “I wanted to be a little bit closer. The pace wasn’t fast enough. I didn’t want to go wide. I just kept him in there as much as I could.”

Bred in Kentucky by Diamond Creek Farm, National Law is a half-brother to Grade 3-winning turf router Family Way by Constitution. Purchased by Colts Neck Stable for $250,000 as a yearling, National Law made three starts last year for trainer Jorge Duarte Jr. He finished fourth in his debut, a five-furlong maiden special weight at Monmouth on July 18.

Considering his pedigree, Duarte shipped National Law to Colonial for a turf route and added blinkers to the colt’s equipment.

“Originally, I thought highly of him,” Duarte said. “When he went to Colonial, his breathing was a little bit different. He needed a little bit of tieback. We did the procedure, and he’s changed completely.”

National Law returned to dirt and ran a wild race at Parx, winning a maiden special weight on Dec. 3 despite bearing out terribly during the stretch run.

“When he ran at Parx, I was surprised he did that because he never did that in the morning,” Duarte said. “I just thought that he was going to win by so much that he got lost. He’s a big 2-year-old and was like ten [lengths in front].”

Duarte decided to give National Law the winter off to give him time to mature.

“Ever since he started back the third week of February, he’s been lights out,” Duarte noted. “He hasn’t missed a day. He looks amazing.”

Duarte briefly considered running National Law in yesterday’s Long Branch Stakes at Monmouth, but “two turns at Pimlico is a good test, and we’re very happy with his performance.”

Usually, trainers are reluctant to make equipment changes after victories, but Duarte removed the blinkers for today’s race.

“We did the right thing,” Duarte said. “It was a little bit risky because you think more is better. But, in this case, less is better.”

*Northern Glow stalks and pounces in eighth race

“That was a nice Mother’s Day present,” jockey Sheldon Russell said as he guided Northern Glow into the winner’s circle after today’s eighth race, a $63,000 second-level allowance with a $40,000 claiming option for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles.

Sheldon’s wife, trainer Brittany Russell, was waiting to get her photo taken. They often share the winner’s circle spotlight with their two young children.

Considering the gaudy winning percentage for both trainer and jockey, it was somewhat surprising that Northern Glow, a 5-year-old mare by Union Rags, was dismissed as the longest shot in the four-horse field.

The race’s complexion changed when Majestic Creed broke poorly, then rushed to the lead under Jaime Rodriguez. Majestic Creed set splits of 24.39 and 48.26 while pushed from the outside by Northern Glow, as favored Lovely Charm tucked behind them in the pocket.

Sheldon Russell pushed the button after six furlongs in 1:12.79, and Northern Glow rocketed past Majestic Creed turning into the stretch. From there, it was only a matter of how far she’d win by, and the official margin was two lengths over a late-closing Viennese Waltz. Lovely Charm was 1 ¾ lengths behind in third with Majestic Creed tiring to last.

Northern Glow raced the distance in 1:45 13, and paid $8.80 to win. Mia Tosca, Sheilahs Warcloud, and Next Girl scratched.

“We gave her time and figured we’d try her again this year,” Brittany Russell said of Northern Glow, who finished a close second last year in Laurel’s Geisha Stakes, and made her third start of 2025 on Sunday. “She’s kind of a bad-footed filly, so we decided to give her time for that, but she tries.”

The start is often the key for Northern Glow. “Sheldon says that she sometimes isn’t the best away from there,” Brittany Russell continued. “When she actually breaks, she gives you a chance to put her in a position.”

The cherry on top of the Mother’s Day sundae came a half-hour later when Sheldon Russell rode the Brittany Russell-trained Mendrel to a victory in the nightcap.

Around the track:

Toledo notched winner 1,701 after Bookitwithhaddad saved every inch of ground to post a late-running victory in the seventh race…Stakes-placed Great Andrei got back on the winning track with a gate-to-wire score in the sixth race, a $62,500 optional claimer for 3-year-old fillies at six furlongs. Trained by Jerry Robb and ridden by Xavier Perez, the Maryland-bred daughter of Sky Mesa earned her third lifetime victory...Live racing resumes on Thursday with a nine-race program beginning at 12:10 ET.