Royal Posse's trainer considers racing him through winter

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Fresh off his second consecutive victory in the Claiming Crown Jewel at Gulfstream Park on Dec. 3, Royal Posse has returned to New York, where trainer Rudy Rodriguez will decide whether to give the gelding a break or keep on racing him through the winter.

“I’m going to let him regroup from the trip, maybe let him relax for a couple of weeks and take it from there,” Rodriguez said Friday. “I’m sure there’ll be a race on the inner track that we can run him in. I’d like to give him a break, but he’s so good we’re just going to try and keep him happy and keep him going.”

Rodriguez claimed Royal Posse for $20,000 in May 2015. In 14 starts for Rodriguez and the ownership group led by Michael Dubb, Royal Posse has 8 wins and 6 seconds from 14 starts and has banked $861,400. He has won four consecutive stakes. Though he is eligible for the Alex M. Robb for New York-breds here Dec. 31, Rodriguez said Royal Posse would not run in that race.

The first route stakes for older males in New York in 2017 is the Jazil Stakes on Jan. 14. Last year, Royal Posse finished second in both the Jazil and the Haynesfield, the latter being a race restricted to New York-breds run in February.

Down the backside in the Claiming Crown Jewel, it appeared that Luis Saez was having to get after Royal Posse just to remain in contention. But Rodriguez said the gelding needs to be ridden like that to be effective.

“I thought he was in trouble, but he always finds a way to pass the other horses,” Rodriguez said. “Since we got him, he’s been very, very consistent; he wants to win every race.”

The victory in the Claiming Crown Jewel put Royal Posse over the $1 million mark in career earnings.