Santa Anita: Home Sweet Aspen stays focused in Louis Rowan

ARCADIA, Calif.- Keeping Home Sweet Aspen occupied on the lead off Sunday’s $67,490 Louis Rowan Stakes at Santa Anita was the key to victory, jockey Joel Rosario said.

Rosario, riding his third winner of the day, urged Home Sweet Aspen to the front at the start of the sprint for fillies and mares over 6 1/2 furlongs and held off a persistent threat from Mildly Offensive to win by 2 1/4 lengths.

Home Sweet Aspen ($4.20) was timed in 1:15, winning her first stakes for trainer John Sadler and breeder Jenny Craig.

“I had to keep her working,” Rosario said. Mildly Offensive “came up a little bit and I kept going. Those are two tough fillies.”

Madera Castana, who was last of six on the turn, closed on the outside to finish third, and was followed by Church Camp, Salty Sarah, and Chalula One.

Mildly Offensive won the Santa Paula Stakes here last March and was fourth in three consecutive stakes during the summer.

Home Sweet Aspen, a 3-year-old filly by Candy Ride, has won 3 of 6 starts and $157,772. She was second in the Eight Belles Stakes at Churchill Downs last May in her stakes debut.