LRL: Martin Chuan wins co-features on Sunday * The Racing Biz

Jockey Martin Chuan won the Laurel Park co-features on Sunday, and it appears the native of Peru – based in Kentucky until riding at Delaware Park this season – is feeling completely comfortable.

“I love Maryland,” Chuan said after his second win of the day. “It’s like my home in Peru, very similar. I feel at home there.”

Chuan plans to ride around Maryland all winter.

He’s starting to know one place well: the Laurel Winners’ Circle. In today’s eighth race, a first compensation, Chuan had the Keri Brion-trained Sporting Lady up close and late on her own as she cruised to a 1 1/2 length victory. At 34-1, Sporting Lady paid $70.60 for a two-dollar win bet.

One race later Chuan was at it again, guiding two-year-old Bala de Plata to a 2 ½ length victory in an allowance/optional claimer. Bala de Plata, trained by Jamie Ness for Super C Racing and Ness’ own Jagger Inc., paid back $15.80 to win.

It was the second victory in a row for Bala de Plata. Both – in a $40,000 first claimer at Parx Racing and this one – came after Ness switched him from grass to dirt and added blinders.

“When he won at Parx, he had some problems in the first corner,” Chuan said of a race in which the Valiant Minister colt made a good impression in the first corner. “But today he was good.”

Concarneau appeared to have the most early speed in the field. But when the gates opened, Our Day Will Come, from the six-hole, and Bala de Plata, from the outside post in the seven-horse field, defeated that rival. This left Concarneau, who departed from gate number two, behind those rivals inside.

Bala de Plata passed Our Day Will Come to lead by 1 ½ lengths after a quarter mile in a fast 23.55 seconds. He was never challenged again.

“I watched the replay [of the colt’s maiden win]“And my foal likes the front,” Chuan said. “He relaxed when he was at the front, and I think that was my point for his win today.”

Bala de Plata went on to win by 2 ½ lengths in 1:47.26 over 1 1/16 miles on a fast main circuit. Dancing Denae, out at 60-1, came from afar for second, nearly three lengths ahead of Wild Warrior, who finished third as the 4-5 favorite.

Bala de Plata is now 2-for-4 with almost $70,000 in revenue.

Chuan, represented by agent John Weilbacher, finished third in both wins and earnings at the recently concluded Delaware Park meet, where he often worked with leading trainer Jamie Ness. He won 66 times during that match and recorded a purse of over $1.5 million. Today’s wins gave him five at the current Laurel match.

“Jamie is a nice trainer, you know?” Chuan said. “He supported me all summer at Delaware and Penn and now here, and I want to thank my agent John. He has done a great job.”