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Joel Rosario Voted Jockey Of The Week After Trio Of Stakes Wins

Joel Rosario was on the road over the holiday weekend winning two graded stakes at Prairie Meadows and a listed stakes at Belmont Park earning Jockey of the Week for June 28 through July 5. The award, which is voted on by a panel of racing experts, is for jockeys who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 950 active riders in the United States as well as retired and permanently disabled jockeys.

On Friday night, Rosario invaded Prairie Meadows for engagements on two mounts in the Iowa Festival of Racing. Off as the favorite for trainer Mike Maker in the Grade 3 Iowa Oaks, Army Wife and Joel Rosario sat third while saving ground early after breaking from post 1. Rosario angled out four wide at the top of the stretch and collared the leader Shesa Mystery near the eighth pole drawing off to win the one and one-sixteenth contest by 3 3/4 lengths in 1:43.10.

“She performed really well like she did the last time,” Rosario said. “It looks like she is getting better.”

Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and Pegasus World Cup winner Knicks Go headlined the Grade 3 Cornhusker Handicap and did not disappoint. Given a leg up by trainer Brad Cox, Rosario sat motionless most of the 1 1/8 miles race aboard Knicks Go, having gained the early lead in the field of seven. He extended his advantage on the far turn and cruised to a 10-1/4 length win in 1:47.33.

On Monday, back at Belmont Park riding for trainer Christophe Clement, Rosario was aboard Gufo in the first running of the Grand Couturier Stakes, a 1-1/2 mile turf test. Breaking from post 6, Rosario saved ground in last with Tide of the Sea on the lead. On the far turn, Rosario urged Gufo out and picked off his rivals one by one. Tide of the Sea re-rallied in the stretch but Gufo prevailed by a length in 2:28.73, surviving an objection by the fourth place finisher Sadler's Joy.

“He always likes to look around a little bit, and that was it. He was fine after that,” said Rosario about his stretch run.

Rosario's weekly stats were 22-5-3-6 for a 22.7 percent win rate and total purses of $608,270.

For Jockey of the Week, Rosario out-polled Samy Camacho who tied for number of wins with Luis Saez who also won two stakes races, Mike Smith who won two Grade 3 stakes and John Velazquez who won two Grade 2 stakes races.

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Army Wife Marches To Iowa Oaks Victory; Stilleto Boy Tiptoes On Lead For Derby Upset

Coming off an impressive victory in the Grade 2 George E. Mitchell Black-Eyed Susan Stakes on May 14, Army Wife invaded Prairie Meadows in Altoona, Iowa, to take Friday night's Grade 3, $225,000 Iowa Derby by 3 3/4 lengths as the even-money favorite.

The Oaks was one of two graded stakes on the night, along with the G3 Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap. The third big race of the evening was the $250,000 Iowa Derby

Trained by Mike Maker and racing for W. Kirk Wycoff's Three Diamonds Farm, Army Wife was ridden to victory by Joel Rosario, who was aboard the Declaration of War filly for the first time in the Black-Eyed Susan at Pimlico. She covered 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.10 and paid $4 to win, It was her fourth victory from nine career starts.

Shesa Mystery finished second, with 8-5 second choice Pauline's Pearl 2 1/2 lengths farther back in third and The Grass Is Blue fourth in the field of six 3-year-old fillies. Sister Annie finished fifth, with Windmill trailing the field. Oliviaofthedesert was scratched.

Rosario was content to secure a cozy spot on the rail aboard Army Wife, who raced in fourth position early and in the run down the backstretch. Sister Annie hung up fractions of :24.27, :48.18 and 1:12.06 for the first six furlongs, with Shesa Mystery putting pressure on her going into the far turn.

Sister Annie and Shesa Mystery battled for the lead on the turn for home, but Rosario had them both measured, swinging Army Wife off the rail three wide into the stretch, hitting the front nearing the eighth pole and drawing off for the victory.

In the $250,000 Iowa Derby, New York-based jockey Jose Ortiz gunned Stilleto Boy to the lead at the start and the Kentucky-bred gelding by Shackleford relaxed on the front end, repelled a challenge from Flash of Mischief around the far turn, then cruised to victory by 4 1/2 lengths.

Trained by Doug Anderson and bred by John and Iveta Kerber, the Iowa Derby winner is owned by the Kerbers, Michael Coleman, Aaron Kennedy and trainer Anderson. Stilleto Boy was winning for the second time in seven career starts, having earned his maiden diploma in his fifth start, going wire to wire at Oaklawn Park on April 17. In his most recent start, Stilleto Boy finished fourth after never getting the lead in the Prairie Mile Stakes at Prairie Meadows on June 4.

Sent off the longest shot in the field of six (following scratches of Proxy, Bourbon Thunder and Snow House), Stilleto Boy paid $35.40 for the win. He ran the 1 1/16 miles on a fast track in 1:42.64 after setting fractions of :23.79, :47.73, 1:11.48 and 1:36.12.

“We wanted him on the front end and Jose did a fantastic job of getting him there,” said Andersen.

Flash of Mischief, who chased Stilleto Boy throughout, held second as a 12-1 outsider for trainer Karl Broberg, with Gagetown2 1/2 lengths back in third and 2-1 second choice Super Stock a neck back in fourth. Nova Rags, the 9-5 favorite, finished fifth, with Rightandjust trailing the field.

Jose Ortiz and Stilleto Boy upset the Iowa Derby

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Royally-Bred Pauline’s Pearl Tabbed Morning-Line Favorite For Iowa Oaks

Sired by Tapit and out of the Grade 1 winner Hot Dixie Chick, Stonestreet homebred Pauline's Pearl has been tabbed as the 2-1 morning line favorite for Friday's Grade 3, $250,000 Iowa Oaks at Prairie Meadows Racetrack in Altoona, Ia. The 3-year-old filly, trained by Steve Asmussen, won the G3 Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn before finishing eighth in the G1 Kentucky Oaks.

A close second choice on the morning line at 5-2 is G2 Black-Eyed Susan winner Army Wife, trained by Mike Maker. The Declaration of War filly will break from the rail under top jockey Joel Rosario.

Winner of the listed Busanda Stakes in January, The Grass is Blue also ships west for trainer Bill Mott. The Broken Vow filly most recently finished sixth in the Black-Eyed Susan.

The full field is as follows:

Army Wife – Maker – Rosario
Pauline's Pearl – Asmussen – Ricardo Santana, Jr.
Sister Annie – Brad Cox – Florent Geroux
Shesa Mystery – Jeff Hiles – David Cabrera
The Grass Is Blue – Mott – Junior Alvarado
Oliviaofthedesert – Ken McPeek – Shane Laviolette
Windwill – Larry Jones – Alex Birzer

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Indiana Derby Draws 46 Nominations, Including 10 From Cox Stable

The 27th running of the Grade 3 $300,000 Indiana Derby has drawn 46 nominations, including four starters from this year's Kentucky Derby. The race is set for Wednesday, July 7 and will be complemented by the 26th running of the Grade 3 $200,000 Indiana Oaks. A total of six stakes are slated for the program with a first post set for 2:25 p.m.

Trainer Brad Cox has nominated 10 to the Indiana Derby, including Belmont Stakes winner Essential Quality. The grey son of Tapit last started in the third leg of the Triple Crown and is three for four in 2021, only missing the win in the 2021 Kentucky Derby where he finished fourth. Other horses nominated from the Cox Stable include Mandaloun, second place finisher in this year's Kentucky Derby and Fulsome, who has won his last three starts, including the Grade 3 Matt Winn at Churchill Downs.

Trainer Greg Foley has nominated O Besos, fifth place finisher in this year's Kentucky Derby. The chestnut son of Orb finished second in his last start in the Grade 3 Matt Winn Stakes at Churchill Downs.

Trainer Steve Asmussen has nominated Super Stock, a starter in the Kentucky Derby. The Dialed In colt finished fourth in his last start, the $300,000 Texas Derby at Lone Star Park. Prior to his start in the Kentucky Derby, Super Stock won the $1 million Grade 1 Arkansas Derby.

A total of 14 horses on the Indiana Derby nomination list are Graded Stakes placed, eight of which are Graded Stakes winners.

The Indiana Oaks has been set up with 29 nominations. Nine of the fillies on the list are Graded Stakes placed with several California connected horses on the list. Ken McPeek has nominated Crazy Beautiful, winner of the Grade 2 Summer Oaks at Santa Anita in her last start. Another filly capturing attention on the list is Army Wife, who won the Grade 2 $250,000 Black Eyed Susan at Pimlico in her last start. The Declaration of War filly is trained by Mike Maker. Will's Secret has also been nominated from the Dallas Stewart Stable. The Will Take Charge filly finished third in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks in her last start.

The Indiana Derby program will include several activities, including five, $1,000 Indiana Derby Megabet drawings, courtesy of the Indiana Thoroughbred Alliance. The early evening card will also include a Cigar Rolling Station, Indiana Derby Hat Contest, strolling entertainment, and extended outdoor food and beverage outlets. Estimated post time for the Indiana Derby is approximately 7:45 p.m.

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