Lord Rosberg will try to seal title in Ascot Graduation

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Trainer Pat Jarvis is looking forward to running Lord Rosberg in the $75,000 Ascot Graduation for 2-year-olds on Canadian Thanksgiving, Oct. 13. The 1 1/16-mile Ascot is the only middle-distance race for 2-year-olds at Hastings, and it usually has a big impact on which horse is voted the local champion 2-year-old male. Jarvis won the 2013 Ascot with Neverabettercause, who was last year’s divisional champion in British Columbia.

Lord Rosberg probably has the title wrapped up. He is undefeated in three starts, and his smallest margin of victory came in the $100,000 Jack Diamond Futurity last Sunday where he never looked threatened while easily handling Merlot by three lengths. He was ridden by Richard Hamel in the 6 1/2-furlong race.

“Actually, he ran pretty hard in the Futurity,” Jarvis said. “It was the first time he was really tested, and he came back blowing a bit. The other two races he acted like he hadn’t really done anything.”

“I had a lot of horse the whole time,” said Hamel. “But, he did have to work harder than in his first two races. Will he go long? I think so. He will have to go a lot slower early, though.”

Regardless of how hard Lord Rosberg had to work, he is clearly the one to beat in the Ascot. According to Jarvis, he has the temperament to go a middle distance, and he certainly has the breeding. His half-sister Irish Lyric won the 1 1/16-mile CTHS Sales Stakes for trainer Patty Leaney on Sept. 1, and then missed to Ole’s Miss by a head in the $100,000 British Columbia Oaks at 1 1/8 miles on Sept. 14. Lord Rosberg is by Rosberg, who won the Grade 3 Premier’s going 1 3/8 miles.

“He’s like a pony,” Jarvis said. “When I go to put on his bridle, he starts falling asleep. The only thing that bothers him is helicopters and trains. He likes to play around when he’s galloping. He’s just a very happy horse, and he just does everything so easily.”

Lord Rosberg was a bargain. He is owned by Gail Breckenridge and Lillian Jarvis-Meehan, who is Jarvis’s sister and assistant trainer.

“He didn’t meet his reserve at the [CTHS] sale last year, and Gail bought him just after the sale for $4,000,” Jarvis-Meehan said. “After his first work, people started making offers to buy him. Gail didn’t really want to sell him, so she sold me half instead. It has worked out nicely.”