Pauseforthecause wires field in Garland of Roses

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Though it looked like there was plenty of other speed in the field, jockey Manny Franco had already decided how he wanted to ride Pauseforthecause in Sunday’s $100,000 Garland of Roses at Aqueduct.

“My plan A was going to the lead, that’s the way she won her last two races and I didn’t want to change her style,” Franco said.

Thus, Franco hustled Pauseforthecause to the front out of the gate, she opened up a clear lead over the apparent other speed and led all the way to win the Garland of Roses by 2 1/2 lengths over Our Circle of Love. It was one length back to New Year’s Wish, a front-running filly who dwelt at the start and had to rally from last to get third.

Angel At War was fourth followed by Sea Sparkle and Miss Imperial. Wildcat Combat and Calinas Song both scratched.

The win was the seventh from 23 starts for Pauseforthecause, a 4-year-old daughter of Giant’s Causeway owned and bred by Chester and Mary Broman and trained by Kiaran McLaughlin. She won for the third straight time, a streak that began with an allowance win at Belmont in September and included the $150,000 Iroquois Stakes, also at Belmont, in October.

Breaking from the rail, Franco hustled Pauseforthecause to a 1 1/2-length lead over Our Circle of Love after an opening quarter in 22.61 seconds. She maintained a clear advantage through a half-mile in 46.28 seconds and came home relatively unchallenged to cover six furlongs in 1:11.91.

“As soon as she made the lead, she put her ears up and she was happy and she just dragged me the whole way,” Franco said.

Pauseforthecause, favored by $223 over Our Circle of Love, returned $4.60.

Joe Lee, assistant to McLaughlin, lauded Franco for his decision to go the lead.

“There were a lot of horses with speed, so I guess he wanted to dictate it and he did a great job doing so,” Lee said.

Pauseforthecause could be pointed to the $100,000 La Verdad for New York breds here on Jan. 4.