Rosario Picks Up Saudi Cup Mount

Joel Rosario has picked up the ride on RRR Racing's Isolate (Mark Valeski) for Saturday's $20-million G1 Saudi Cup at King Abdulaziz Racecourse, his agent Ron Anderson confirmed in a text message Monday.

The 6-year-old Isolate made the first 12 starts of his career in the U.S. for Reeves Thoroughbred Racing, winning two from his first five for trainer Kathy Ritvo before joining the barn of Tom Amoss. The Florida-bred posted four victories from seven outings for that barn, winning the Work All Week S. at Hawthorne and the Tale of the Cat S. at Saratoga ahead of a runner-up effort in the Louisville Thoroughbred Society S. in 2022.

Subsequently acquired by Sheikh Rashid bin Humaid Al Nuaimi's RRR Racing and turned over to trainer Doug Watson in Dubai, Isolate was runner-up in a pair of group sprint races at Meydan, then stretched out in distance to post an impressive win in the G2 Godolphin Mile with Tyler Gaffalione in the irons. He has made just one appearance since, a handy success in the G2 Al Maktoum Mile at Meydan Dec. 22.

Isolate did not originally draw into the Saudi Cup, but gained a run when Aidan O'Brien elected to re-route the gifted multiple Group 1-winning turf horse Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}) to the G2 Neom Turf Cup.

Rosario will also take the ride aboard Pantofel Stable, Wachtel Stable and Gary Barber's Bold Journey (Hard Spun) in the G3 Riyadh Dirt Sprint, Anderson also reported. Winner of the GIII Fall Highweight H. and Gravesend S. in his two most recent appearances, Bold Journey carried Rosario to a first-level New York-bred allowance victory at the Big A in 2022. Bold Journey is trained by Bill Mott.

Rosario rode no fewer than six stakes winners over the weekend, including Beatbox (Pioneerof the Nile) in the GIII Fair Grounds S. He was runner-up in the GII Risen Star S. atop Track Phantom (Quality Road).

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Cha-Ching As Sound Money Makes Bank In The Mahab Al Shimaal

RRR Racing's Sound Money (Flatter–Vegas Trip, by Aldebaran) was making his Meydan debut for these connections and didn't disappoint, running out a 2 3/4-length victor of the $250,000 G3 Mahab Al Shimaal Sponsored By Emirates SkyCargo at Meydan Racecourse on Saturday. The 1200-metre dirt race was the ninth and final on the Super Saturday card, a warm up for Dubai World Cup night in three weeks' time.

One of three in the race for Bhupat Seemar besides G3 Al Shindagha Sprint victor Tuz (Oxbow) and Western Symphony (Ire) (Shamardal), the 5-year-old entire tracked the pacesetting Ponntos (Ire) (Power {GB}) from third through the early going. He pounced at the quarter-pole, before kicking away from Tuz and Ponntos to win over the closing Doug Watson trainee and fellow RRR Racing colourbearer Isolate (Mark Valeski). Tuz inched home in third, a short head in front of Colour Up (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}).

“He's a very talented horse as he showed in the past in the US,” said jockey Mickael Barzalona, who was also aboard G3 Nad Al Sheba Turf Sprint winner Al Dasim (Ire) (Harry Angel {Ire}) earlier in the night. “He broke good and I had plenty in my hands during the run.

“He did everything very professionally. He's a massive horse so I think he will come on a lot for this race.”

A winner of an Aqueduct allowance last April, the Flatter horse ran with credit when second in the GIII Westchester S. to subsequent GI Breeders' Cup Sprint winner Cody's Wish (Curlin) and he filled that spot again behind multiple Grade I winner Jackie's Warrior (Maclean's Music) in the June GII True North S. still at Belmont Park. Transferred to Saratoga as part of a massive Chad Brown string, he was second in a 1400-metre allowance optional claiming race on July 17 for Klaravich Stables, Inc.

 

Pedigree Notes

The 63rd stakes winner and 23rd group/graded winner for his late sire, the $200,000 Keeneland November weanling is out of a half-sister to GI Hollywood Gold Cup S. hero Mast Track (Mizzen Mast) and Jemayel (Ire) (Lope De Vega {Ire}), who won the G1 Prix Saint-Alary. His dam foaled a filly by Flat Out in 2022, and she visited the court of Cross Traffic last spring.

Saturday, Meydan, Middle East
MAHAB AL SHIMAAL (SPONSORED BY EMIRATES SKYCARGO)-G3, $250,000, Meydan, 3-4, NH3yo/up & SH3yo/up, 1200m, 1:11.05, ft.
1–SOUND MONEY, 131, h, 5, by Flatter
1st Dam: Vegas Trip, by Aldebaran
2nd Dam: Nawal (Fr), by Homme De Loi (Ire)
3rd Dam: Lute String (Fr), by No Lute (Fr)
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. 1ST GROUP WIN. ($200,000 wlg '18
KEENOV). O-RRR Racing; B-Lannister Holdings & Glidawn Stud
(KY); T-Bhupat Seemar; J-Mickael Barzalona. $150,000.
Lifetime Record: MGSP-US, 13-4-4-3, $429,054. Click for the
   free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Isolate, 131, h, 5, Mark Valeski–Tranquil Song, by Unbridled's
Song. ($70,000 wlg '18 KEENOV). O-RRR Racing; B-Woodford
Thoroughbreds (FL); T-Doug Watson. $50,000.
3–Tuz, 131, g, 6, Oxbow–Suede Shoe, by Pulpit. ($7,000 ylg '18
KEESEP). O-Dakki Stable; B-Calumet Farm (KY); T-Bhupat
Seemar. $25,000.
Margins: 2 3/4, 1, SHD.
Also Ran: Colour Up (Ire), Mouheeb, Western Symphony (Ire), Ponntos (Ire), Manjeer (Ire), Magic Petition, Cloudbridge. VIDEO.

 

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