Steve Hamilton Gets Hot, Wins Four Friday

(from Laurel Park report)
Jockey Steve Hamilton, who rode three winners on Thursday at Laurel Park, topped that Friday when he registered four victories over the Maryland track.

The journeyman rider started the day with Sosa ($3.60) in the first race, completed the daily double with Beer Stein ($5.40) in the second, drew away aboard Distinct Diamond ($14.80) in the fourth, and stole off to an easy win with Rockin Bobby ($3.60) in the fifth.

The surge has pushed "Cowboy" from ninth place in the standings to seventh with 35 trips to the winners' circle during the meet. The 31-year old veteran has finished in the money 129 times from 269 mounts for the stand.

"Dave Rodman (Laurel's track announcer) said we are in a zone. I just wish it would have come a month ago," joked Hamilton, who has won five races in a day three times in his career. "We got on some nice horses the last few days and things are going our way. We have had a bunch of seconds and thirds during the meet. Those seconds and thirds are now coming back to win."