Rodriguez keeping options open with Water White
Water White came out of her victory in Saturday’s Busher Stakes “good, a little tired, but good,” trainer Rudy Rodriguez said.
Water White, who now has enough qualifying points to make it into the Kentucky Oaks on May 1, will be nominated to the Grade 3, $300,000 Gazelle on April 4, though Rodriguez stopped short of committing her to the race
“I’m going to wait a couple of days and see what we’re going to do. Maybe we’ll skip it, I don’t know,” Rodriguez said. “We’ll nominate to the Gazelle and see what we’re going to do.”
Rodriguez said he likes the longer-distance races for Water White, because she’s a bit of a grinder who is better when able to make one run like she did rallying from far back on Saturday.
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Rodriguez pointed to Water White’s second start when she was in front at the eighth pole under Irad Ortiz Jr. but ended up second to Maedean.
“I told Irad ‘Don’t move, because sometimes she gets lost,’” Rodriguez said. “She looks like she wants a target. If she makes the lead too easy, I think she wanders. [Saturday], she got there late and it worked out for us.”
Meanwhile, Lake Avenue, the 4-5 Busher favorite who finished fourth, was scheduled to ship back to Bill Mott’s Payson Park barn in South Florida. There was no visible excuse for her performance.
In 2011, Mott brought Royal Delta back to the races off a long layoff in the Suncoast Stakes , and she finished ninth of 10. Later that year, Royal Delta won the Black-Eyed Susan, Alabama, and Breeders’ Cup Ladies’ Classic.
Franco back atop standings
Manny Franco won the 2018-19 Aqueduct winter riding title with 98 wins, 28 more than his nearest pursuer. It took until Sunday, the 46th racing day, to regain the top spot at this year’s winter meet.
Franco won four races on Sunday’s card – including three for trainer Michelle Nevin – to break a three-way tie with Eric Cancel and Jose Lezcano. Franco has 60 wins, followed by Cancel (57) and Lezcano (56).
There are nine days remaining in the winter meet, which ends on March 29.
Since Jan. 30, Franco has won 34 races at Aqueduct. He has had 12 multiple-win days from 18 cards, including a five-win day on Feb. 22 and his four-win afternoon on Sunday. This doesn’t include two trips to Gulfstream Park, where he won graded stakes on Feb. 1 and 29.