Rosario closing in on 1,000 wins

ARCADIA, Calif. – Jockey Joel Rosario is two victories away from the 1,000th win of his career, and may achieve the milestone on Thursday when he has five mounts on an eight-race program.

Rosario, 26, moved to within close range of the mark with six wins from Friday through Sunday, including a three-win day Saturday that featured stakes wins aboard Anthony’s Cross (Robert Lewis Stakes) and Vision in Gold (Santa Maria Stakes). Rosario had two wins on Sunday and finished third with his final mount of the day, Harmonious in the Grade 2 La Canada Stakes.

On Thursday, Rosario will be aboard Reality Ride in the third, Bestdressed in the fourth, The Hunt Is On in the sixth, Coo Cachoo in the seventh, and Waafi in the eighth.

“The owners and trainers have a lot of confidence in me, and it makes me proud,” he said between races Sunday. “It makes me want to work harder. I hope I can get to 4,000, 5,000, or 6,000. You never know.”

Rosario is currently second in the jockey standings at Santa Anita. Last year, he won riding titles at the Hollywood Park spring-summer and autumn meetings and at Del Mar.