Apprentice Jasmine McGuin earns first career win
Scores aboard Pediatrician
Frank Vespe
September 12, 2026
Just what the doctor ordered!
Four-year-old Pediatrician overpowered his rivals in Laurel Park’s second race Saturday to give 10-pound apprentice rider Jasmine McGuin the first win of her career. The win came in McGuin’s 23rd career start.
“It feels fantastic,” she said. “I’ve been dying for my first win, and I knew it was going to be on this horse. I don’t know why I kept saying it, but the last couple weeks I’ve been galloping him, ‘It’s going to be this one, this one, this one’s going to be the one that wins it for me.’”
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Pediatrician, an Uncle Mo colt trained by Marco Salazar for Garboso Inc., flashed talent last year at three, winning a Laurel Park maiden special weight contest at third asking by six lengths. But his form this year hadn’t quite held up: never in the money in four starts prior to today.
Dropped down to his lowest level yet, in a $7,500 never-won-two claimer, Pediatrician bounced back.
Pediatrician broke outwards, but McGuin promptly righted him and had him on the move as the outside portion of a three-headed vanguard that also included 3-5 favorite Yes Chef. Those two shook loose of Runningonhighlevel midway on the turn, and Pediatrician took command past the five-sixteenths.
Pediatrician completed six furlongs in 1:11.68 over a fast main track, a full 8 ¼ lengths ahead of Yes Chef. Pediatrician paid $8.60 to win.
“He’s a fun horse to ride, and I ride him every day, every morning,” McGuin said. “I don’t really take him out of the gate very often, so that was first time for me, and coming out, straightening him up was pretty easy for me. He’s a great horse. Just getting him onto the lead was all he really needed.”
McGuin gave credit to Salazar for his support. Fresh off their win today, the duo will team up with two more runners tomorrow, Sin Permiso (8-1) in a $7,500 maiden claimer and He Is a Miracle (30-1) in a $35,000 maiden claimer.
“He believes in me wholeheartedly,” she said. “I get on all his horses in the morning, and I got a couple more mounts for him tomorrow. We’ll see what happens with tomorrow.”
McGuin, a 25-year-old native of Bowie, Maryland, said she’s been riding since she was 14. The debut win, coming at her home track, took on extra meaning.
“It’s quite the great thing for me [to] win my first race at home and here, where I’m always working,” she said.
McGuin said that, as a woman, her smaller stature and slighter frame have been obstacles to getting mounts. But, she said, there’s a way to overcome that.
“Keep pushing,” the rider said, as she watched the replay of Pediatrician’s win. “Keep riding like that. Don’t give up.”
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