“He ran big. It took him a while to get around (Balboa), but maybe this was him telling us he wants to go two turns,” trainer Brad Cox said. “This was very encouraging.”
His breeding could also be an asset to My World, a winner of three consecutive starts for owners Madaket Stables (which also owns a stake in runner-up Balboa). He is sired by Essential Quality, who won the 2021 Belmont Stakes and Travers Stakes for Cox.
“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.”
It’s clear the 3-year-old loves Aqueduct and all three of his wins 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 New York’s path to the run for the roses, with the Withers Stakes from Aqueduct on January 31 at 1 1/8 miles the next stop.
“He’s done really well in New York. He seems to like the Aqueduct circuit. 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 Mailata was scratched following a romp during a Dec. 30 Stakes race at Parx Racing, the Jerome came down to a two-horse race. When Balboa, owned by “The Avengers” partnership and trained by Brittany Russell, moved to the front on the turn with Manny Franco, My World and Jaime Rodriguez moved up to challenge after six furlongs in 1:12.23.
Balboa, who finished third in the longer Grade 2 Remsen Stakes in his last outing, had a long lead on the eighth pole, but My World, the 5-2 third choice ($7.24 to win), surged to the front on the sixteenth pole and covered the mile in 1:38.96.
The win gave My World 10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points and Balboa picked up five, giving him a total of nine points. Enforced Agenda, who finished 3 3/4 lengths back in third place, earned three points.
Dazzling Dame led throughout and pulled away easily down the stretch to post an 11 1/2-length victory in the $145,500 Busanda Stakes for 3-year-old fillies later on the Jan. 3 card at the Big A.
The victory in the mile prep race for the Longines Kentucky Oaks earned the winner of the multiple stakes Oaks qualifying points.
“It looks like she’s made progress,” trainer Brittany Russell said. “She’s a big, nice filly who is doing things well. Hopefully we can keep her healthy. She was great today.”
As the 2-1 second choice on the board ($6.24), Dazzling Dame completed the mile in 1:38.30, slightly faster than the 1:38.96 My World required in the Jerome.
Owned by Roger “Rocky” Rashall Jr.’s Respect the Valleys and ridden by Jevian Toledo, the win was the fourth in five career starts for Dazzling Dame, who earned a victory in the Oct. 11 White Clay Creek Stakes at Delaware Park.
Two Bits finished second, while Repole Stable’s Believable was 11 1/4 lengths back in third.
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