Winning a stakes like the $139,500 Jerome Stakes on Jan. 3 at the Big A can earn a three-year-old some Kentucky Derby (G1) qualifying points, but the one-turn mile Jerome is still light years away from the challenge of the 1 1/4 mile Kentucky Derby.
Anyway, My world certainly looked like a promising young three-year-old when he took over from the 3-5 favourite Balboa in the last sixteenth and rode clear to take a two-length victory in the Jerome which painted him as a horse who could have a bright future around two turns.
“He ran big. It took him a while to come around (Balboa), but maybe this was him telling us he wants to go two turns,” trainer Brad Cox said. “This was very encouraging.”
Breeding could also be an asset for My World, winner of three straight starts for owners Robert LaPenta and Sol Kumin’s Madaket Stables (which also owns a stake in runner-up Balboa). He’s over Essential quality who won the stakes of Belmont (G1) and Travers (G1) for Cox in 2021.
“It’s the first crop of three-year-olds for his father,” Cox said, “but from what we know about the stallion and what we’ve seen in My World, it looks like the more distance, the better for him.”
Cleary the 3 year old bred by Cove Springs in Kentucky from the In mischief mare Quebec also likes Aqueduct. All three of his victories have come at the Big A, including a 3 1/2-length score in the Nov. 1 Nashua Stakes in his previous start. Not surprisingly, with that in mind, Cox is aiming to keep My World on the path from New York to the Run for the Roses, with the January 31 Withers Stakes at 1 1/8 miles the next stop.
“He’s done really well in New York. He seems to like the Aqueduct circuit and is handling it well. Maybe that’s the path we take to get where we want to go,” Cox said. “Next is two turns and the Withers is a logical place to take us to the Wood Memorial.”
With only a field of four after that Miles was scratched after a romp on December 30 Parx Racing At stake, the Jerome came down to a two-horse race. When Balboa, owned by “The Avengers” partnership and trained by Brittany Russell, emerged on the turn with Manny Franco, My World and Jaime Rodriguez advanced to play the son of Not this time after 6 furlongs in 1:12.23.
Balboa, who finished third in the longer Remsen Stakes (G2), had a long lead on the eighth pole, but My World, the 5-2 third choice ($7.24), surged to the front on the 16th pole and covered the mile in 1:38.96.
The win gave My World 10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points and Balboa took 5, giving him 9. St. Elias Stables Enforced agenda who was 3 3/4 lengths back in third place scored 3 points.
My World was purchased for $350,000 from the Warrendale Sales consignment at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale and is Quebec’s second foal and her first stakes winner. She also has a 2-year-old Uncle Mo foal and a yearling Constitution filly.
Video: Jerome S. (BT)
Dazzling Dame shines in Busanda
Russell had to settle for a second with Balboa in the Jerome, but wasn’t concerned at all during the long run of the $145,500 Busanda Stakes for 3-year-old fillies later on the card at the Big A.
Brilliant lady won for fun as the daughter of Givin led throughout and pulled away easily in the stretch to post an 11 1/2-length laugh in the mile prep for the Kentucky Oaks (G1). The win gave the multiple stakes winner 20 points toward a start in the 1 1/8 mile stakes for 3-year-old fillies.
Dazzling Dame wins the Busanda Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack
“It looks like she’s made progress,” Russell said. “She’s a big, nice filly who is doing things well. Hopefully we can keep her healthy… She was great today.”
The 2-1 second choice ($6.24), Dazzling Dame, completed the mile in 1:38.30, slightly faster than the 1:38.96 My World needed in the Jerome.
Owned by Roger “Rocky” Rashall Jr.’s Respect the Valleys and ridden by Jevian Toledo, the victory was the fourth in five career starts for Dazzling Dame, who earned a win in the Oct. 11 White Clay Creek Stakes Delaware Park.
EGL-One Racing’s Two bits came second and earned 10 Oaks points while Repole Stable’s Credible was 11 1/4 lengths back in third place and got 6 points.
Dazzling Dame, bred by Maria Haire in Maryland, was purchased for $45,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales March Sale of 2-year-olds in training and has earned $240,525. From the Corinthian mare Awesome Dama, she is the only winner of her mother’s five foals. Awesome Dama also has an unnamed one Pinehurst 2 year old filly and a yearling Involve called a foal Madam involved.
Video: Busanda S. (BT)
#World #records #win #row #Big #Jerome