From Santa Anita Publicity
ARCADIA, Calif. (Oct. 14, 2023)—With a blistering early fractions of 21.10 and 43.81 to run at, Nick Alexander’s homebred Rose Maddox unleashed a powerful stretch run to win Saturday’s $100,000 California Distaff Handicap by two lengths in a very impressive effort. Ridden for the first time by Tiago Pereira, Rose Maddox got about 6 ½ furlongs down Santa Anita’s hillside turf course in a speedy 1:11.22.
The California Distaff Handicap is part of the lucrative CTBA-sponsored Golden State Series for eligible California-bred or sire horses.
“We were long overdue. We’ve been a slump since April,” said Alexander. “I bet on the other Rose (Dawson). We thought Rose Dawson would follow that leader and hopefully soften her up. I think 6 ½ down the hill is perfect for (Rose Maddox). She had had a mile race before. I lot of time milers come back and win on this course. She’s a cool little horse.”
In-hand early, Rose Maddox was about 9 ½ lengths off of runaway leader Organic a half mile out but closed in while well within herself as the field approached the dirt crossing. Four-deep and a joint second with Alexander’s Rose Dawson and Ultimate Hy about three off the lead three sixteenths of a mile out, Rose Maddox shook loose of that pair and overwhelmed the pacesetter shortly thereafter to win with consummate ease.
“That filly of Neil’s (Organic, trained by Neil Drysdale) is quick,” said Miyadi. “We didn’t want to be anywhere near her. I thought we ran the best horse today, I really did. I was looking at the board and I’m thinking, ‘We should be 6-5,’ but what are you going to do?”
A respectable fifth in her only other hillside try eight starts back on Dec. 30 of last year, Rose Maddox was most recently a fast-finishing second going one mile on turf versus statebreds in the Solana Beach Stakes on Aug. 25 at Del Mar.
Off as the 3-1 second choice today in a field of seven California-bred or sired fillies and mares, Rose Maddox paid $8.40, $4.80 and $3.40.
“There was a lot of speed with the one horse (Organic) going as fast as she did,” said Pereira, who rode Rose Maddox for the first time today. “We were back off the pace but not that far. When we crossed the dirt, I asked her a little bit and she responded right away. She switched leads very nice and finished very strong.”
A 4-year-old filly by Grazen out of the Unusual Heat mare Heat the Rocks, Rose Maddox notched her third statebred stakes win and improved her overall race resume to 18-6-8-1. With the winner’s share of $60,000, she increased her earnings to $416,782.
Last early, longshot Madiha was easily second best, finishing 2 ¾ lengths in front of Chismosa. Off at 24-1 with Victor Espinoza, Madiha paid $16.40 and $8.20.
Next to last in the early running, Chismosa, off at 12-1 with Edgar Payeras, paid $16.40 and $8.20 while finishing a half length in front of Rose Dawson.
Complete fractions on the race were 21.10, 42.81 and 1:05.37.
Racing resumes with first post time for an 11-race card on Sunday at 12:30 p.m.