Rodriguez stays hot with Beealea’s victory in Polar Expedition Handicap
?q=100)
Since becoming a head trainer in 2010, Eduardo “Lalo” Rodriguez, former longtime assistant to the late, semi-iconic Chicago claiming trainer Tom Tomillo, has gone through some rough patches.
That first year on his own, Rodriguez went 2 for 59, and his 2011 season was even worse, 1 for 89. More recently Rodriguez went 4 for 56 at the 2020 Arlington meet, and during the 2022-23 Fair Grounds meet, he won with 4 of 64 starters. But with his fifth winner from his last seven starters at Hawthorne’s spring and summer season of 2023, Rodriguez won the second stakes race of his career when Beealea captured the $75,000 Polar Expedition Handicap on Monday, closing day of the Hawthorne meet.
Rodriguez had been 1-1-2 from 21 stakes starters before Beealea ($19.20) stormed from some 20 lengths behind the leader after a half-mile to a two-length win over odds-on favorite Readthecliffnotes in a race restricted to Illinois-breds. Walter Rodriguez rode the winner, who carried 116 pounds, four fewer than Readthecliffnotes. Weslan finished third as Beealea stopped the timer in 1:44.61 for 1 1/16 miles on a fast track.
Rodriguez and owner Ricardo Rodriguez claimed Beealea from the competent Michele Boyce stable for $13,500 on April 29. The claim did not at first appear to be a good one. Beealea was sixth, beaten more than 11 lengths, in a first-level allowance, and sixth, beaten more than 20 lengths, racing for a $20,000 claiming price, in his first two starts for new connections. He improved to finish a modest third of five for a $13,500 tag on June 8, was trounced in a turf allowance try later in June, and suddenly was transformed with a move back to dirt July 23, when he won for a $13,500 tag with a career-best 84 Beyer Speed Figure. Beealea was beaten eight lengths finishing second for the same claiming price on Aug. 16, but on Monday ran like flames were coming out of his heels.
Bred by S D Brilie, Beealea is by Lea out of Beeway, by Champali, making him a half-brother to Journeyist, who won the Peach of It Handicap last week.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.