Geaux Rocket Ride works for start in San Felipe
ARCADIA, Calif. -- The exciting maiden race winner Geaux Rocket Ride is on schedule for his stakes debut in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes at 1 1/6 miles at Santa Anita on March 4.
On Saturday at Santa Anita, Geaux Rocket Ride worked five furlongs in 1:00.40, his second-to-last major exercise before the $400,000 San Felipe Stakes.
“Everything we see is good,” trainer Richard Mandella said. “It was a handy work.”
Owned by Pin Oak Stud, Geaux Rocket Ride won his debut in a maiden race at six furlongs by 5 3/4 lengths on Jan. 28, leading throughout under jockey Flavien Prat. Geaux Rocket Ride was timed in a sharp 1:09.52, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 92.
The San Felipe Stakes is a key prep for the Grade 1 Runhappy Santa Anita Derby on April 8.
Mandella is resting three of his stakes winners – Big City Lights, Ice Dancing, and Lane Way.
Big City Lights was second by a neck in the California Cup Sprint for statebreds on Jan. 7.
“He’ll get a couple of months off,” Mandella said.
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Lane Way, the winner of the Clocker’s Corner Stakes for turf sprinters on Jan. 29, “has a little problem behind,” Mandella said.
Ice Dancing, the winner of the Grade 2 Santa Ynez Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at seven furlongs on Jan. 8, is scheduled to undergo surgery to have a bone chip removed from an ankle.
The injury was diagnosed after Ice Dancing was found to have swelling in an ankle following a workout on Feb. 12, Mandella said.
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