Idol and Rosario to team up in Santa Anita Handicap

Idol, second and third in Grade 2 stakes at Santa Anita in recent months, will be ridden by Joel Rosario for the first time in the Grade 1 Santa Anita Handicap on March 6.

Trainer Richard Baltas confirmed the change Wednesday.

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“We’re happy to get him on the horse,” Baltas said. “In the big races, the big jockeys show up.”

Rosario replaces Gabriel Saez, who rode Idol to a second-place finish, beaten a half-length, in the San Antonio Stakes on Dec. 26 and a third as the even-money favorite in the San Pasqual Stakes on Jan. 30. Idol closed from last in a field of five to lose the San Pasqual by 3 1/2 lengths to Express Train, another contender for the Big Cap.

“I was loyal to the other guy,” Baltas said in reference to Saez. “Hopefully, we can get a ‘W’ in this horse.”

Owned by Calvin Nguyen, Idol has won 2 of 5 starts. Saez was aboard for four of those races, including wins in two overnight races at Churchill Downs last September and November.

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Rosario is fourth in the standings at the Santa Anita meeting with 26 wins, even though he did not ride last weekend while traveling to Saudi Arabia for the $20 million Saudi Cup. Rosario is riding at Oaklawn Park in Arkansas this Saturday.

Through Tuesday, Rosario led the nation’s riders in purse earnings with $3.59 million. Rosario was aboard Knicks Go for a win in the Grade 1 Pegasus World Cup Invitational on Jan. 23 at Gulfstream Park. Knicks Go was fourth in the Saudi Cup with Rosario aboard.