Rosario right on time for River Boyne in Pasadena

ARCADIA, Calif. – Joel Rosario had a bad trip Saturday. Fortunately for him, it wasn’t in the Pasadena Stakes.

His delayed flight from Florida, and then a traffic-choked drive from the airport, forced the rider to miss his first two scheduled mounts Saturday at Santa Anita, but he arrived in time to give River Boyne a perfect trip in the $200,690 Pasadena, the only grass race of the four scheduled Saturday that stayed on the turf.

Overnight rain moved three other races to the main track. The Pasadena, for 3-year-olds, was run over a course rated good, but footing seems not to matter to River Boyne, a smallish colt who has now rattled off three straight victories on the turf here, the first two coming on firm ground.

In the Pasadena, he rallied from fifth in the seven-horse field and held off Inscom in deep stretch to win by one length. As the 7-5 favorite, he paid $4.80 to win.

Inscom finished 2 1/2 lengths in front of third-place La La Land, then came, in order, Buckstopper Kit, Heck Yeah, Afleet Ascent, and Platinum Equity. Both Ax Man – entered back in an allowance sprint Thursday – and Pubilius Syrus were scratched earlier in the day.

River Boyne took 1:35.92 to complete one mile on turf and get an 86 Beyer Speed Figure. It took Rosario a lot longer to get here.

After working horses in Florida early Saturday morning, Rosario flew to California, but his flight was delayed leaving Florida and arrived late here. Rosario then had to drive across town in a city that has been ranked as having the nation’s worst traffic.

“I was a little nervous,” Rosario said. “I was worried I wasn’t going to make it. For a second I thought I might miss the race. The traffic downtown was terrible.”

River Boyne, owned by the Cohen family’s Red Baron’s Barn LLC and Rancho Temescal LLC, is a colt by Dandy Man who was purchased in Europe after three losing starts there and turned over to trainer Jeff Mullins. He was second in a maiden race at Del Mar in his first start in this country in November, but is 3 for 3 since, all at Santa Anita. He earned $120,000 Saturday and has made $186,000 in his last three races.