Shortleaf Stable's Kentucky homebred Bubble Rock made an off-the-pace rush under Joel Rosario to score a half-length win in Sunday's $150,000 License Fee, a six-furlong Widener turf sprint for older fillies and mares, at Belmont Park.
Trained by two-time Eclipse Award-winner Brad Cox, Bubble Rock rebounded from a narrow defeat last out to Gam's Mission in a one-mile allowance on April 16 over the Keeneland green when making her seasonal debut off a nearly five-month respite. The 4-year-old daughter of More Than Ready out of the Giant's Causeway mare Reef Point notched the third stakes score of her career, adding to wins in the Grade 3 Matron at Belmont as a juvenile and the Grade 2 Mrs. Revere in November at Churchill Downs.
Bubble Rock emerged well from post 7 and was tucked into the two path to race in sixth as Yuugiri, who made her turf debut, bounded to the front to lead the field of nine through an opening quarter-mile in :21.66 over the firm turf. Hot Fudge and post-time favorite Star Devine moved within striking distance of Yuugiri as the field rounded the turn with Rosario swinging Bubble Rock to the outside to make her bid for the lead after the half-mile elapsed in :45.33.
Bubble Rock was full of run exiting the turn and into the stretch, racing four-wide and brushing slightly with Imagery before putting her head in front at the eighth pole. The Jose Ortiz-piloted Poppy Flower tracked behind Bubble Rock throughout and made up ground late in the lane, but could not collar her foe in time as Bubble Rock reached the wire first in a final time of 1:08.61.
The Cox-trained Goin' Good, who skimmed the rail down the backstretch and was tipped two-wide by Manny Franco mid-turn, ran on to pick up show honors by one length over Messidor. Imagery, Hot Fudge, Star Devine, Minaun and Yuugiri completed the order of finish. Spun Glass was scratched.
Rosario, who rode Bubble Rock in her last two outings when traveling one mile or farther, said a stalking trip was key on the cutback to outrun the other closers.
“They were going quick. It looked like I was in a good spot, and she did everything I asked her to do,” said Rosario. “She put me there nicely and ran a really nice race. I had horse and I had to wait to start moving forward. She has a nice kick – a nice turn-of-foot – in a sprint, I have to wait and then try to get the jump on the other ones.”
Bubble Rock banked $82,500 in victory and improved her lifetime record to 12-5-3-1 with $618,943 in total purse earnings. She returned $8.30 for a $2 win ticket.
Arnmore Thoroughbreds' Poppy Flower, trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott, also made her second start of a layoff after finishing a close third in an April 14 optional claimer at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Ortiz, who has ridden Poppy Flower in 10 of 13 starts, said he was pleased with the effort from the multiple stakes-winning daughter of Lea.
“Rosario was travelling well every step of the way, so I was very patient behind him,” said Ortiz. “I think that was the difference in the race – I had to wait for him to make his move. But he was the only horse moving good from the back of the pack, so I wanted to follow him every step of the way. When I found him at the half-mile, I said, 'this is my guy. He's traveling so well.' The last quarter was very fast and I was second best today. I'm very proud of the filly. She always tries.”
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