Smith picks up mount on Geaux Rocket Ride for Haskell

Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith has been booked to ride recent Santa Anita stakes winner Geaux Rocket Ride in the Grade 1 Haskell Stakes on July 22 at Monmouth Park.

On Monday at Santa Anita, Smith worked Geaux Rocket Ride for the first time, going six furlongs in 1:12.60.

“He did things his own way,” Smith said. “I’m excited to get the opportunity to ride him.

“He’s forward. He’s a little fresh right now.”

The $1 million Haskell at 1 1/8 miles is one of the nation’s most prominent summertime races for 3-year-olds and will be Geaux Rocket Ride’s debut in a Grade 1.
“He’s got talent,” Smith said. “It will be fun to see how much.”

Owned by Pin Oak Stud, Geaux Rocket Ride was second in his stakes debut in his second start in the Grade 2 San Felipe Stakes on March 11 at Santa Anita, finishing 2 1/2 lengths behind Practical Move, who later won the Santa Anita Derby in April.

Geaux Rocket Ride missed the Santa Anita Derby because of illness. Smith said the San Felipe Stakes proved Geaux Rocket Ride’s ability compared to other nationally prominent 3-year-olds.

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“It shows he belongs,” Smith said.

Trained by Richard Mandella, Geaux Rocket Ride has won 2 of 3 starts, including the Affirmed for 3-year-olds at 1 1/16 miles on June 4 at Santa Anita with Ramon Vazquez up.

“He just continues to grow up and look like a mature horse,” Mandella said. “He’s a very professional horse.”

Mandella and Smith also will team in the Grade 1 United Nations Stakes at 1 3/8 miles on turf on July 22 at Monmouth Parkwith Planterario, who won the Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano Stakes at about 1 3/4 miles on turf on June 18 at Santa Anita .

The Haskell will include at least one other prominent California-based runner in the unbeaten Arabian Knight, who has not raced since a win in the Grade 3 Southwest Stakes at a mile on Jan. 28 at Oaklawn Park. Trained by Bob Baffert, Arabian Knight has worked steadily at Santa Anita in recent weeks, including seven furlongs in 1:25.40 on Saturday.

Smith is booked to ride Skinner in Saturday’s $125,000 Los Alamitos Derby at 1 1/8 miles. Skinner was third in the Santa Anita Derby in his most recent start and was withdrawn from the Affirmed the day before the race after trainer John Shirreffs said the colt “didn’t jog sufficiently well.”

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