Rosario to Ride Goldencents in Pat O'Brien
Joel Rosario, the nation’s leading rider who made a huge impact on opening day, would appear to be positioned for an encore on TVG Pacific Classic Day.
Rosario rode four winners on the opening day card before heading back to his East Coast base. Leaving behind, as a reminder, his name in the Top 10 of the Del Mar jockey standings where it remained through the first 12 days of the meeting.
The three-time (2009-2011) meet riding champion has scheduled another one-day visit for Sunday, August 25, centered upon riding Game On Dude in the $1 million TVG Pacific Classic. But he has also scheduled mounts on Goldencents in the $250,000 Grade II Pat O’Brien Stakes and Tigah in the Del Mar Mile in addition to Game On Dude for the $1 million TVG Pacific Classic.
It will be a busy weekend for Rosario, 28, a native of the Dominican Republic. On Saturday, August 24, Rosario will be occupied with the Travers Day card at Saratoga which features the $1 million Travers, $500,000 Test, $500,000 King’s Bishop and $250,000 Ballston Spa. Rosario will ride Kentucky Derby winner Orb in the Travers and has calls on My Happy Face in the Test, Forty Tales in the King’s Bishop and Somali Lemonade in the Ballston Spa.
That evening, according to agent Ron Anderson, Rosario will board a plane and travel part-way across the country, then complete the journey the following morning hopefully to arrive in time for the earlier-than-usual 1 p.m. post time on Pacific Classic Day.
Goldencents, heretofore ridden by Kevin Krigger, won the Sham Stakes and Santa Anita Derby to stamp himself as the West Coast’s top Kentucky Derby hope but was 17th in the Derby and a well-beaten fifth in the Preakness in May. The son of Into Mischief returned in the Grade I Bing Crosby on July 28 and finished second, beaten a head by Points Offthebench.
Tigah was third in the Wickerr Stakes on July 24, beaten 2 ¼ lengths by Arlington Million-bound Indy Point.