Rosario cancels weekend plans at Oaklawn
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HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Southern California-based jockey Joel Rosario, who is named to ride Dreamalildreamofu in the featured eighth race Friday at Oaklawn Park, had been all set to spend the holiday weekend in Arkansas.
But on Wednesday afternoon it was announced Oaklawn has canceled racing from Saturday through Monday due to a winter storm system in the forecast. As a result, Rosario will be staying home. His agent, Ron Anderson, said Rosario would be riding at Santa Anita through Monday before heading overseas to team with Knicks Go in the Saudi Cup on Feb. 20.
Oaklawn’s feature Friday is a one-mile allowance for fillies and mares who have never won four races and it has a claiming option of $50,000. Others in the field include stakes winners Mizzen Beau, Piece of My Heart and probable favorite Kim K.
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Rosario had been named on Dreamalildreamofu by trainer Brad Cox, for whom the rider won the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational last month aboard Knicks Go. The success in the Gulfstream Park race helped lift Rosario to $3.4 million in purse earnings so far in 2021, which is tops among all riders this year in North America.
“He’s won [nine] stakes now, and was blessed enough to win the Pegasus,” Anderson said Rosario’s start to 2021. “In this business, you’ve got to appreciate the good times. We’re obviously on a good run, and you have to appreciate that when it comes.”
Dreamalildreamofu also has had a big start to her year. She won her 4-year-old debut last out at Fair Grounds, rolling by nine and a quarter lengths in a second-level allowance Jan. 23. Dreamalildreamofu departs from post 3. She is cross-entered in the $100,000 Albert M. Stall, Sr., Memorial on Saturday at Fair Grounds.
Mizzen Beau also is cross-entered in the same race, as a supplement. She last started Oct. 3, and ran fourth in the Grade 2 Black-Eyed Susan at Pimlico. Earlier in the year, Mizzen Beau ran fourth in $500,000 Woodbine Oaks and won that track’s $250,000 Bison City. Jockey David Cabrera has the mount from post 2 for trainer Norm Casse.
Piece of My Heart also had stakes success last year at 3, in the $100,000 Gardenia in May at Oaklawn. She went on to run fourth in the Grade 3 Delaware Oaks. Francisco Arrieta has the mount for trainer Mac Robertson.