Room for Me back at winning level for Garland of Roses
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Since coming to the East Coast earlier this year, Room for Me is 4 for 4 in races other than graded stakes and 0 for 4 in graded events. David Jacobson, owner and trainer of Room for Me, wouldn’t mind seeing that trend continue in Saturday’s $100,000 Garland of Roses Stakes at Aqueduct.
Room for Me drops into the listed Garland of Roses after making three consecutive starts in graded company, including a seventh-place finish in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint.
Jacobson said jockey Victor Espinoza told him Room for Me hit her head on the gate just before the start of that race, and she was last of 14 through the opening stages of the race, yet was beaten only 5 3/4 lengths.
“I don’t know if it dazed her a little bit, but she was so far out of it and only got beat five lengths in the Breeders’ Cup,” Jacobson said. “If she gets a good break she’s going to be tough.”
Jacobson claimed Room for Me for $12,500 last February out of Southern California. She won the Videogenic Stakes – part of this circuit’s inaugural Claiming Championships – by 13 1/2 lengths and won two allowance races. In August, she won the Regret Stakes at Monmouth Park by 5 3/4 lengths.
In the Garland of Roses, Room for Me takes on six rivals, topped by Princess Violet, who won the Grade 1 Madison but enters this race off a six-month layoff.
Also in with a chance are Classic Point, winner of the Grade 2 Inside Information at Gulfstream in March, La Madrina, and Nuffsaid Nuffsaid.
Garland of Roses, Race 8
KEY CONTENDERS
Room for Me (Last 3 Beyers: 84-95-87)
◗ In addition to hitting her head on the gate, she raced extremely wide in the BC Filly and Mare Sprint.
◗ Cuts back to six furlongs, a distance at which she has won four consecutive races.
◗ Irad Ortiz Jr. has the call from post 4.
Princess Violet (Last 3 Beyers: 83-89-93)
◗ Had ankle issues following a fifth-place finish in Grade 1 Phipps in June. Cuts back to six furlongs for her first start since then.
“I think that’s fine,” trainer Mike Hushion said of the distance. “I don’t have any problem with that. If I was trying to go seven-eighths, I might have had to work her a few more times.”
◗ Won the Grade 1 Madison at seven furlongs back in April, her first start off a 59-day layoff. Finished second in Grade 2 Barbara Fritchie off a 78-day layoff.
Classic Point (Last 3 Beyers: 78-86-83)
◗ Though she has run fifth in two starts since returning from a layoff, she has run races good enough to be competitive here, including a victory in the Grade 3 Go for Wand here in November 2014.