Rosario, Leparoux, Lopez Return to Gulfstream

Following a cross-country trip from California, jockeys Joel Rosario, Julien Leparoux and Paco Lopez returned to South Florida on Saturday with their sights set on Saturday’s 10-race card at Gulfstream Park.

The trio, always among the prominent riders during Gulfstream’s Championship Meet, spent Friday riding in major graded stakes at Santa Anita Park. Rosario finished third with both his mounts, Chitu in the Malibu (G1) and Thank You Marylou in the La Brea (G1).

Leparoux finished off the board in both the Malibu and Mathis Brothers Mile (G2), along with Lopez in the La Brea.

Trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, Chitu dueled up front in the seven-furlong Malibu and kept on to the wire, passed late by multiple graded stakes winner Shared Belief and Conquest Two Step, who were separated by a neck. Chitu was a half-length behind Conquest Two Step.

“I was on the lead and it looked like the horse on the outside made a little early move, and I ended up finishing third,” Rosario said. “Shared Belief is a good horse. You can see that by his record and all that. I thought it was a good race by my horse.”

In the La Brea, for 3-year-old fillies, Thank You Marylou broke poorly and ran last of nine before staging a late rally for third, beaten a total of 2 ¼ lengths by Sam’s Sister and Taris.

“The horse that was on the lead and the horse that was chasing, they just kept on going,” Rosario said. “My filly did well to be third after the start. Overall, it was a good trip. It’s always better when you win, but the horses ran good for me.”

Both Rosario and Lopez have mounts in all three graded stakes on today’s card. Rosario will ride Cay Dancer in the La Prevoyante (G3), Calamondin in the Mr. Prospector (G3) and Slumber in the W.L. McKnight (G3), while Lopez has the call on Angegreen in the La Prevoyante, Speechify in the Mr. Prospector and Royal Blessing in the McKnight.

Two-time Eclipse Award winner Leparoux will ride Julie’s Love in the La Prevoyante and Margano in the McKnight.

There will be a $150,000 guaranteed pool in the 20-cent Rainbow 6 which covers races 5 through 10 and includes all three stakes, and a $50,000 guarantee in the Pick 5 for races 6-10.

Source: Gulfstream Park Communications