Geaux Rocket Ride works for Haskell, could be big day for Mandella

Geaux Rocket Ride, the winner of the Affirmed Stakes at Santa Anita on June 2, is on schedule for his Grade 1 debut in the $1 million Haskell Invitational at Monmouth Park on July 22 after working five furlongs at Santa Anita on Monday.

The lightly raced Geaux Rocket Ride may not be the only runner for trainer Richard Mandella in a major stakes at Monmouth Park that afternoon.

Planetario, who won his first stakes in the United States in the Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano Stakes at about 1 3/4 miles on turf at Santa Anita on June 18, is under consideration for the Grade 1 United Nations Stakes.

The $600,000 United Nations Stakes at 1 3/8 miles on turf is the track’s leading turf marathon, and would test Planetario against some of the nation’s leading turf runners from prominent Eastern stables.

“He came out of the San Juan really good,” Mandella said.

A winner of 6 of 11 starts, Planetario was a two-time Group 1 winner in Brazil in 2021.

Geaux Rocket Ride worked five furlongs 1:00.60, his second work since a sharp win by 1 3/4 lengths in the Affirmed Stakes at 1 1/16 miles.

“He looked like himself. He worked good,” Mandella said. “Everything is on schedule.”

Owned by Pin Oak Stud, Geaux Rocket Ride has won 2 of 3 starts. He was second to Practical Move in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Santa Anita in March, and missed a scheduled start in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby on April 8 because of illness.

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