While Joseph was hoping for a good result, he never imagined the filly would romp to a 16 ¼ -length victory. That’s the stuff dreams are made of.
Rojo Rita. Ryan Thompson/Coglianese Photo.
Maiden winner is the morning line favorite in the seven-furlomg test
Rojo Rita gets her first reality check Saturday in the $165,000 Forward Gal Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park. The race winner gets 20 qualifying points for the Kentucky Oaks (G1), the biggest springtime goal for any 3-year-old filly.
It’s a tall order for any horse to jump from a maiden victory into a graded stakes. Perhaps Rojo Rita is made of the right stuff to handle it.
“It’s a tall task, but she’s a very talented filly,” Joseph said. “That’s why we’re doing it.”
The game plan for jockey Edgard Zayas won’t change: fire right to lead and dare them to catch you. Despite her lack of experience, Rojo Rita is the 2-1 morning line favorite from post 9.
The Queens M G, Saffie’s other runner in the race, is one of the veterans in the field with six races already under her girth. She was the early-meet talk of Saratoga last summer with dominant stakes wins in the Schuylerville and the Adirondack (G3).
Then it went south. She didn’t handle the muddy track in Saratoga’s Spinaway (G1) followed by an underwhelming third in Aqueduct’s Tempted Stakes.
“She’s proved to be a legit filly and we’ll see now if she carries on as a 3-year-old,” Saffie said. “This race will help give us an idea of where she belongs.”
There is plenty of speed in the race and that could spell trouble for the likes of Rojo Rita, Unchained Elaine, Justinqueso, Frida and Stunner, the Tempted Stakes winner.
So let’s go for the old change of pace, and look for some value, with Volatiled. Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez will be aboard the 20-1 shot who will look to pick up the pieces when the front runners start to falter.
After all, all you need is a dollar and a dream.
Post time for the Forward Gal is 5:45 p.m. ET, the final race on the card following the Withers Stakes (G3), a Kentucky Derby (G1) points qualifier.
For those who bet horse racing …
1 Unchained Elaine (Junior Alvarado, Patrick Biancone), 20-1
2 The Queens M G (Irad Ortiz, Jr., Saffie Joseph, Jr.), 5-1
3 Justinqueso (Joe Bravo, Ian Wilkes), 8-1
4 Costa Amalfitana (Miguel Vasquez, Carlos Munoz), 30-1
5 Beyond Belief (Javier Castellano, Ed Coletti, Jr.), 20-1
6 My Denysse (Jesus Rios, Ruben Sierra), 30-1
7 Eclatant (Luis Saez, Brad Cox), 9-2
8 Volatiled (John Velazquez, Fernando Abreu), 20-1
9 Rojo Rita (Edgard Zayas, Saffie Joseph, Jr.), 2-1
10 Frida (Emisael Jaramillo, Jose D’Angelo), 10-1
11 Stunner (Tyler Gaffalione, Brad Cox), 4-1