Coach Rocks runs down Take Charge Paula in Gulfstream Park Oaks

Although it took Coach Rocks seven tries to break her maiden, it only took one stakes attempt to earn her graded status in the Grade 2, $300,000 Gulfstream Park Oaks.

In a stretch duel between Take Charge Paula and Coach Rocks, it was the latter that ultimately had more left in the tank. The 3-year-old Oxbow filly put all the pieces together in Saturday’s race and earned 100 points toward the 2018 Kentucky Oaks, cinching a spot in Louisville May 4.

Despite only having a maiden win, trainer Dale Romans was confident in Coach Rocks.

“She figured the game out. I never expected her to lose,” Romans said. “Every time I’ve brought her over, I thought she would win. It took time for her to figure it out that she is as good as she is.”

Take Charge Paula, winner of the Grade 3 Forward Gal and runner-up in the Grade 2 Davona Dale, went off as the favorite over Coach Rocks. Ohio invader Eight Thirtyone grabbed the lead over Take Charge Paula and opened the first quarter-mile in :23.47. The favorite continued to go for the lead and took over at the half-mile mark in :47.27 with Alter Moon providing pressure to the outside. Coach Rocks and jockey Luis Saez, who broke the meet record with 133 wins earlier in the day, were sitting mid-pack.

Heading into the second turn, it looked as if Alter Moon and Take Charge Paula would pull away together. Jose Ortiz eased up on Take Charge Paula and let Alter Moon go on. Take Charge Paula garnered attention as she came right back to pass Alter Moon but the threat of Coach Rocks emerged on the outside.

The two fillies distanced from the rest of the field, but Coach Rocks was moving fastest. She finished the 1 1/16 miles in 1:44.63.

“When she swung out wide and finding her rhythm, I thought she would grind them down. I know she’s fit and distance wasn’t an issue, so I thought she would grind them down,” Romans said.

The trip, although successful, didn’t play out like Saez thought. 

“What a rough trip,” the winning jockey said. “My plan was to break and be right up front, first or second, but there was a lot of speed in the race. Thankfully when we got to the three eighths pole, it got clear and she took off. When we came to the stretch I thought the horse to beat was going to go, but my filly kicked fine and thank god we passed them.”

Princess Warrior was third far behind Take Charge Paula, followed by Tell Your Mama, Alter Moon, Blonde Bomber, Cache, Silver Bay, Mihrab, Daisy and Eight Thirtyone.

Romans trains the winning filly for Roddy Valente, RAP Racing and West Point Thoroughbreds. RAP Racing is the outfit of former University of Louisville men’s basketball coach Rick Pitino. With Romans upcoming plans for the filly, Pitino could return to see Coach Rocks run in the Kentucky Oaks.

“I’m going home,” Romans said, “we’ll be in Barn 4 [at Churchill Downs] tomorrow and start getting ready for the first Friday in May.”