Northfield: Rosemary Rose captures Courageous Lady

Ohio-sired Rosemary Rose scored one for the home team when she pulled a 9-1 surprise against open company in the $120,000 Courageous Lady for 3-year-old pacing fillies on Saturday night at Northfield Park.

Ella Christina (Tim Tetrick) made it to the lead from post two, and she would give a parked-out Big City Betty (Aaron Merriman) the cold shoulder through opening-half fractions of 26 4/5 and 55. Race favorite Bettor's Up (Brett Miller) was tracking from second-over, with Rosemary Rose (Mike Wilder) on Miller's helmet.

As the fillies raced in the backstretch Bettor's Up was sent three-wide to take over the first-up spot from Big City Betty, and Bettor's Up would get to within a length and a half of Ella Christina at the 1:24 1/5 three-quarters, with Rosemary Rose remaining three-wide and surging into contention.

On the far turn Rosemary Rose overhauled both Ella Christina and Bettor's Up, and in the stretch Rosemary Rose remained strong, reporting home a length and three-quarters to the good over fellow Ron Burke trainee Pittstop Danika (Ronnie Wrenn Jr.), who rallied from seventh and last at the half to collect second in the 1:53 mile. Bettor's Up, Terrortina (Tony Hall), and Bourbon And Barley (Ryan Stahl) completed the top five.

"She might have been a longshot on the board, but I really thought she had a big chance," said Wilder. "I've always had a lot of faith in this filly, and it's always a pleasure to drive her. I knew around the five-eighths she had a big chance. She felt tremendous."

Burke trains Rosemary Rose, a daughter of Foreclosure N, for owners Burke Racing Stable LLC., Jason Melillo, and Weaver Bruscemi LLC. This was her 11th win from 24 career starts, and she has now earned $231,292. She paid $20.60 to win.

The undercard featured eight $50,000 Ohio Sires Stakes consolation events for 2- and 3-year-olds of both sexes and gaits. Drivers Chris Page and Aaron Merriman would both win a pair, with Page guiding I Like Purple (Dejarmbro) to a 1:59 2/5 win in the 3-year-old filly trot and Rockin Away (Pet Rock) to a 1:53 1/5 tally in the 2-year-old colt pace, and Merriman scoring with Big Bad Goldie (Big Bad John) in 1:54 3/5 in the 2-year-old filly pace and with Dekeyser (Dejarmbro) in 1:56 1/5 in the 3-year-old colt trot.

The other winners were:

--Risky Deal (Break The Bank K), driven by Kurt Sugg to a 1:58 1/5 victory in the 2-year-old filly trot
--Dontforgetmaster (Dontyouforgetit), who won the 2-year-old colt trot in 1:57 1/5 for driver Josh Sutton
--Camwood (Woodstock), a 1:53 1/5 winner in the 3-year-old colt pace for driver Kayne Kauffman
--Berazzled (Charley Barley), steered by Ronnie Wrenn Jr. to a 1:52 2/5 score in the 3-year-old filly pace