Longshot maiden Mr. Roary noses out Ralis in Rainbow

ARCADIA, Calif. - Mr. Roary won for the first time in his ninth career start in Saturday’s $85,320 Rainbow Stakes, but only after he bobbled in the final strides and held off a late threat from the Grade 1 winner Ralis.

Mr. Roary ($78) led throughout the Rainbow Stakes at 1 1/8 miles on turf. He led by 1 1/2 lengths with a furlong to go, and was fully extended to win under jockey Edwin Maldonado.

Maldonado said Mr. Roary switched leads in the final strides, which caused the gelding to struggle with his footing. As quickly as the incident occurred, Mr. Roary recovered to win by a nose over Ralis.

“He carries his head low and he’s a big horse,” Maldonado said. “I knew I had it.”

Mr. Roary was timed in 1:47.48. Ralis, winless in seven starts since the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes at Saratoga last September, finished a half-length in front of Liam the Charmer, the 5-2 favorite in the field of 11.

Lucky Bryan was fourth, followed by Smokey Image, Lauren’s Ladd, Little Scotty, Arcature, Prince of Arabia, Undeniable U, and Mishegas.

Ralis has lost consecutive starts by a nose. He was second by that margin in the $188,000 Snow Chief Stakes for California-breds at 1 1/8 miles on turf on May 28.

Mr. Roary was the only maiden in the field. The Rainbow was the gelding’s third stakes in a stakes, preceded by a sixth in the Pasadena Stakes on turf in March and a fourth in the Singletary Stakes on May 14. Mr. Roary was second in a maiden race on turf on June 4.

Owned by Justin Kretz, Mr. Roary is trained by George Papaprodromou. By Scat Daddy, Mr. Roary has earned $84,985.

Later this summer, Mr. Roary is likely to run on turf in stakes at Del Mar. The first of three stakes opportunities for 3-year-olds on turf is the $100,000 Oceanside Stakes at a mile on July 15, the opening day of the meeting.