Free Rose won't challenge older horses this fall

CYPRESS, Calif. – Free Rose, the winner of two graded stakes for 3-year-olds on turf at Del Mar, including the $253,105 Del Mar Derby last Sunday, will remain with his own age group this fall, trainer Richard Baltas said.

Baltas said Free Rose is likely to start in the $200,000 Twilight Derby at 1 1/8 miles on turf for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita on Nov. 4. Races such as the Breeders’ Cup Mile at Santa Anita on Nov. 5 are not in the plans.

“I would like to keep him against 3-year-olds since he’s a gelding,” Baltas said. “Maybe next year we can have him against older horses.

“I don’t want to put this horse in against older horses yet. Those older horses are tough.”

Owned by the Abbondanza Racing partnership, Free Rose has won 4 of 11 starts and earned $314,760. Free Rose won the Grade 2 Del Mar Derby at 1 1/8 miles on turf by a half-length at 11-1. He won the Grade 3 La Jolla Handicap at 1 1/16 miles on turf by a half-length at 28-1 on Aug. 6.

Free Rose raced at Mid-Atlantic and Kentucky tracks before joining Baltas’s stable in the summer. In April, Free Rose finished 11th in a $20,000 claimer for non-winners of two at Keeneland.

“He’s a nice 3-year-old,” Baltas said. “He definitely wanted to be on the grass. He has a lot of determination and heart, something you can’t teach a horse. He has tactical speed, but I think he’s gotten better as far as relaxing since he’s been in California.”