Geaux Rocket Ride is pointed to Haskell after Santa Anita win

Forced to miss the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby because of illness, Richard Mandella’s Geaux Rocket Ride came back running in Sunday’s $100,000 Affirmed Stakes as he stalked a face pace and accelerated to a 1 3/4-length win, getting 1 1/16 miles under Ramon Vazquez in 1:43.75, prompting his Hall of Fame trainer to say he’d point to the Haskell Invitational (G1) at Monmouth Park for his next engagement July 22.

Off at 1-2 in a field of five sophomores, Geaux Rocket Ride was content to sit a reserved third off of Del Mar Jerry and Hard to Figure as they slugged it out through fast fractions to the quarter pole. At that point, Vazquez tipped three deep and assumed complete command as Mr. Fisk rallied from well back to complete the exacta.

A 5 3/4-length first-out maiden winner going six furlongs at Santa Anita on Jan. 29, Geaux Rocket Ride most recently was a solid second to eventual Santa Anita Derby winner Practical Move going 1 1/16 miles in the San Felipe (G2) on March 4 and returned $3.00, $2.20 and $2.10.

“He’s just a classy little dude,” said an elated Mandella, who took Saturday’s Summertime Oaks (G2) with Window Shopping. “We will probably look into the Haskell. We are going to enjoy this one today, but that will be the one we look to.”

Owned by Pin Oak Stud, Geaux Rocket Ride, a Kentucky-bred colt by Candy Ride out of the Uncle Mo mare Beyond Grace, got his first stakes win and his second win from three career starts. With the winner’s share of $60,000, he increased his earnings to $180,200.

“He is a completely good horse,” said Vazquez, who rode Geaux Rocket Ride for the first time and notched a riding double on the day. “Today it was my first time on him, and he showed me what a good horse he is. I got a very good trip and I got in a position where I was really comfortable and when I asked him, he responded very well. He is a really good horse.”

Although he couldn’t go with the winner around the far turn, Mr Fisk put in a solid bid for second money and finished a half dozen lengths in front of Hard to Figure. Ridden by Juan Hernandez, Mr Fisk paid $3.20 and $2.10 while off as the second choice at 4-1.

Ridden by Tiago Pereira, Hard to Figure was off at 6-1 and paid $2.20 to show while prevailing by 2 3/4 lengths over long shot Ze’bul, who stumbled leaving the gate and was last to deep stretch.

Fractions on the race were 23.27, 46.11, 1:10.29 and 1:36.74.