Room Service rolling with three straight graded stakes wins

ARCADIA, Calif. – The success Room Service has displayed winning three consecutive graded stakes across the nation this year partially can be credited to a decision trainer Wayne Catalano made last year.

He opted to do nothing with the filly when forming a team to go to Saratoga last summer.

“She needed time, and we left her behind,” he said. “It sure paid off.”

Room Service remained in Kentucky last year and won her debut at Kentucky Downs last September. Since then, she has not been worse than third in six subsequent starts and has developed into a leading 3-year-old filly.

On Saturday, Room Service won her first Grade 1 race on turf in the $350,750 American Oaks at Santa Anita. She closed from seventh in a field of eight fillies to win by 2 1/4 lengths over Diversy Harbor. Room Service ($6.40) ran 1 1/4 miles on turf in 2:01.28.

Earlier this year, Room Service won the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride Stakes on turf at Gulfstream Park and finished in a dead heat for first with Rosalind in the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes on the Polytrack synthetic surface in April at Keeneland. Room Service was considered for the May 2 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs, but Catalano opted to pass the race when the filly did not train to his expectations on Churchill’s dirt track.

Room Service was sent in late May to California in time for a workout on Santa Anita’s turf course May 24. Catalano said Room Service has changed through the year, becoming a calmer filly.

“She’s doing so much better,” he said. “She was something of a nervous filly.”

Room Service races for Gary and Mary West. By More Than Ready, Room Service has won 4 of 7 starts and earned $546,565.

In each of her stakes wins, she has achieved a milestone – first graded stakes win, first graded stakes win on a synthetic track, and first Grade 1 win. Her next start will be the $1 million Belmont Oaks over 1 1/4 miles on turf July 5 at Belmont Park.

The Belmont Oaks is not likely to draw Nashoba’s Gold, who was a troubled fifth as the 3-2 favorite in the American Oaks. The winner of graded stakes on turf at Santa Anita in April and May, Nashoba’s Gold was beaten 5 1/4 lengths by Room Service. She was checked by jockey Joe Talamo near the quarter pole when racing in traffic.

Trainer Carla Gaines said Nashoba’s Gold emerged from the American Oaks with cuts on her leg, which she said were not serious.

“She had some lacerations, but they were not a big deal,” Gaines said. “I don’t know if we want to go to New York after that race.”

Gaines said an alternative race is the $300,000 Del Mar Oaks over 1 1/8 miles on turf Aug. 16.