Concrete Rose digs deep in Florida Oaks

OLDSMAR, Fla. – Concrete Rose reached down for a little extra when turning back a pack of challengers in a successful return to action Saturday in the 36th running of the Grade 3, $150,000 Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay Downs.

Ridden by Julien Leparoux, Concrete Rose was making her first start since fading to eighth in the Nov. 2 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. She returned $8.40 after finishing 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.02 over a firm turf course.

Blowout finished second, a half-length behind the winner, with Winter Sunset third and La Feve fourth. Only six lengths separated the entire field of 11 3-year-old fillies.

“This was a big one to get out from under her, coming off the layoff and carrying topweight,” said Rusty Arnold, who trains the Twirling Candy filly for Ashbrook Farm and BBN Racing. “She was a little bit hyper in the paddock, which she’s never been, but she’d never shipped. I’m very happy with her. This was a quality bunch.”

Concrete Rose won the Grade 2 Jessamine last fall at Keeneland prior to her defeat in the Breeders’ Cup. Arnold said he may wait instead for the May 3 Edgewood at Churchill Downs as opposed to running back at Keeneland next month in the Appalachian. The Edgewood is expected to mark the seasonal debut of Newspaperofrecord, the runaway winner of the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf.

“This is going to take something out of her, so it may be Churchill,” he said. “I’m going to let her tell me.”

Mega Fortune led most of the journey at 19-1, but she was then engulfed by an onslaught of fillies, with Concrete Rose leading the charge.

“I sit there and make one run and she’s got a nice kick,” said Leparoux. “She’s a good filly, obviously.”

The $2 exacta (5-7) paid $96.40, the $1 trifecta (5-7-3) returned $278.60, and the 10-cent superfecta (5-7-3-1) was worth $89.13.