CT: First win(s) for apprentice Nomar Arroyo Bueno
Posts two front-running scores on Friday
The Biz
March 2, 2026
They got him good.
Charles Town’s jockeys and valets were lying in wait for 10-pound apprentice Nomar Arroyo Bueno after Saturday’s first race. Fortunately, it was a happy attack.
Local riders gave Arroyo Bueno the traditional water-shaving cream-powder greeting as he returned after guiding J. Belkin to a win in the opener. It was the first win of Arroyo Bueno’s career.
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He enjoyed that so much, he came back and did it again aboard his very next mount, Caribbean Comedy, in the fifth race.
J. Belkin went off the 9-5 favorite in the opener, a bottom-level maiden claimer going 6 ½ furlongs. Trained by Tyler Shanley for Greentree Stables LLC, the New York-bred Joevia gelding now has a win from seven starts.
Arroyo Bueno put J. Belkin in action early, sending him straight to the front. He had a two-length lead after a sluggish opening quarter-mile in 25 seconds flat but soon had company from Coco Sun, who moved to virtually even terms inside the three-eighths.
Those two rivals slugged it out for most of the rest of the way, and J. Belkin inched away in the final sixteenth to win by a length. Running time on a fast main track was 1:22.55.
Four races later Arroyo Bueno found himself aboard 2-1 second choice Caribbean Comedy in a beaten $5,000 claimer going 4 ½ furlongs. The five-year-old Barbados mare sparred with longshot Peggy’s Way for the opening quarter-mile, disposed of that rival rounding the turn, and held the rest safe to win by a length in 53.11 seconds.
Caribbean Comedy, 4-for-11 in her career, is trained by Anthony Farrior for Conroy Thoroughbreds LLC.
Arroyo Bueno now has two wins and a second from 13 career starts with purse earnings of $25,226.
Congratulations to Nomar Arroyo Bueno on the first win of his riding career! The jockey colony did their part to make sure he’ll never forget it 😂 pic.twitter.com/WHSiXQUmr1
— Race Charles Town (@RaceCharlesTown) February 28, 2026
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