Rodriguez has high hopes for Water White this season

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – When it comes to stakes horses, Rudy Rodriguez typically has his most success in the winter. In Water White, Rodriguez believes he has a horse for all seasons.

Last March, Water White won the $250,000 Busher Invitational at Aqueduct before finishing a well-beaten third behind Gamine in the Grade 1 Acorn at Belmont in June. Unraced since, Water White had her first workout in six months Sunday, breezing three furlongs in 36.70 seconds over the Belmont Park training track.

It’s the first steps on what Rodriguez hopes is a big year for the 4-year-old gray daughter of Conveyance owned by Esteban Vargas, who races under the banner E.V. Racing.

“I told the owner, if she stays sound, I think she can win a Grade 1,” Rodriguez said Wednesday morning at Belmont Park.

It took Water White three tries to win her maiden, something she did going a mile in November 2019 at Aqueduct. From there, she finished fifth to Lake Avenue in the Grade 2 Demoiselle and a well-beaten second behind Harvey’s Lil Goil in the Busanda last February before winning the Busher by a nose in March.

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With racing halted on this circuit for 10 weeks by the COVID-19 pandemic, Water White didn’t race again until the Acorn on June 20. She ran into the buzz saw that was Gamine, who romped to an 18 3/4-length victory in the Grade 1 race for 3-year-old fillies. Pleasant Orb finished second by a half-length over Water White.

Following Water White’s first work back after the Acorn, Rodriguez felt something amiss. Subsequent X-rays revealed a spot on an ankle, and Rodriguez felt it best to stop on the filly and she was sent to the farm.

Rodriguez blistered Water White’s ankle when she returned and gave her a month of tack-walking.

“I think she can be any kind of horse, that’s why I try to take my time,” Rodriguez said. “If we get lucky, I think she can be dangerous in the summer.”

Rodriguez seeks another stakes

While he takes his time preparing Water White for her return, Rodriguez has plenty to keep him busy this winter.

Rodriguez has already won stakes at this meet with Backsideofthemoon (Queen’s County) and Pete’s Play Call (Gravesend) and ran second in the Jerome with Eagle Orb.

Saturday, he’ll send out the veteran Celtic Chaos in the $100,000 Say Florida Sandy Stakes, a race in which the 8-year-old gelding will be making his fourth straight appearance. Celtic Chaos finished last of six in this race a year ago.

Celtic Chaos, an 8-year-old son of Dublin, will be making his fourth start for Rodriguez since being claimed for $40,000 on closing day at Saratoga. Two races back, he was beaten a nose in an optional claimer for New York-breds. Last out, he dead-heated for third in an open optional $80,000 claimer.

“He ran a pretty good race the other day, he’s solid,” Rodriguez said. “I asked the owners if they wanted to run for [$40,000 claiming,] and they said we can do that later.”

Only five were entered in the Say Florida Sandy. From the rail out, the field is Funny Guy, Our Last Buck, My Boy Tate, Celtic Chaos, and Runningwscissors.

Meanwhile, Backsideofthemoon returned to the work tab on Tuesday, going a half-mile in 49.86 seconds. He will point to the Jazil Stakes on Jan. 23, Rodriguez said. Pete’s Play Call came out of his victory in the Gravesend in good order, Rodriguez said, and will be nominated to the Grade 3, $150,000 Toboggan here Jan. 30.

Rodriguez said Eagle Orb, who is eligible for the Gander on Feb. 14, would most likely be nominated to the Gotham on March 6.