The Joel Rosario graded stakes express train is at Saratoga. The reigning Eclipse Award winner for Outstanding Jockey, Rosario won three graded stakes including the Grade 1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt at Saratoga, earning Jockey of the Week honors for July 25 through July 31. The award, which is voted on by a panel of racing experts, honors jockeys who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 1050 active, retired and permanently disabled jockeys in the United States.
With a stakes race carded every day of the Saratoga meeting, Rosario naturally started Week 2 with a win in Wednesday's feature, the G2 Honorable Miss, riding for trainer Wesley Ward aboard Kimari. Racing on the outside in the compact field of four, Kimari was third down the backside and fourth around the turn but came running in the stretch to post a half- length win in 1:10.78 for the six furlongs, pulling off a minor upset over race favorite Bella Sophia.
“She ran good,” said Rosario who was riding Kimari for the sixth time in her last seven starts. “She's a nice horse and always tries.”
On Saturday, Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen gave a leg up to Rosario on reigning champion male sprinter, Jackie's Warrior in the G1 Alfred G. Vanderbilt. The result was never in doubt as Jackie's Warrior cruised to a two-length win in 1:09.74 for the six furlongs.
“He's a special horse,” Rosario said. “These horses don't come along every day and he's just incredible. He's always there for me. I know when I ask him to go, he's there for me.”
Rosario capped off his four-win Saturday with a victory in G2 Jim Dandy again riding for Steve Asmussen. With Rosario aboard, Epicenter went off as the favorite in the four-horse field breaking from the rail. Epicenter was last of four after the opening quarter mile and still last on the backside as the field hit the top of the stretch, but Rosario and Epicenter took command as they reached the eighth pole and edged away to win decisively by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:48.99 for the 1 1/8-mile race.
“It looked like there were a couple of the horses that wanted to go and get position, so I just let him be where he was happy,” Rosario said.
The stakes win was Rosario's seventh graded victory of the young Saratoga meet.
For the week Rosario's statistics were 30-7-7-1 with $1,052,728 in total purses to lead all jockeys.
Other nominees for Jockey of the Week were Joe Bravo with an upset win in the G1 Bing Crosby, Alfredo Juarez, Jr. with two stakes wins opening weekend at Albuquerque, Mike Smith who won the G2 San Diego Handicap, and Dakota Wood who won 13 races while riding at Great Falls.
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