From Santa Anita Publicity
ARCADIA, CA (Jan. 13, 2024)—Named for a Country Western star from years gone by, Nick Alexander’s homebred Rose Maddox proved extra game late in taking Saturday’s $150,000 Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Spring by a nose under Flavien Prat. Trained by Steve Miyadi, the 5-year-old mare by Grazen got about 6 ½ furlongs down the hillside turf course in 1:13.45.
The Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Turf Sprint presented by John Deere is part of the lucrative CTBA-sponsored Golden State Series for registered California-bred or sired horses.
Mid-pack about six lengths off of eventual second place finisher Chancery Way a half mile out, Rose Maddox slid up the rail to the dirt crossing, engaged Chancery Way leaving the quarter pole and proved best in a thrilling three-way photo on the money.
“She fires every time,” said Alexander. “Her dam (Heat the Rocks) is by Unusual Heat and her sire is Grazen…so you’ve got the queen and the king right on top. She doesn’t have the greatest personality, but she loves to run.
“Steve has a very unusual way of working his horses, if you see anything below 104 you get nervous. That is just his style, but it works. Flavien (Prat) is just the greatest, I love that guy. We are two for two today and we’ve got a good shot tomorrow. He never makes a mistake, he always finds a hole, he always finds the shortest way home and once he gets the league, you can never go by him.”
A two-length winner of the California Distaff Handicap down the hill two starts back, she was and even fourth, beaten 2 ¾ lengths versus open company down the hill in the Senator Ken Maddy on Nov. 3.
“We’re going to point to the Spring Fever here (February 18) at six furlongs on dirt next time,” said Miyadi.
She has seven wins in 20 starts, earnings of $515,782 and was coming off a fourth in the Nov. 3 Sen. Ken Maddy. Off today as the 6-5 favorite in a field of eight older fillies and mares, she paid $4.40, $2.80 and $2.10.
By Grazen and out of the Unusual Heat mare Heat the Rocks, she picked up her fourth career stakes win and her seventh victory from 20 overall starts. With the winner’s share of $90,000, she increased her earnings to $515,782.
Ridden by Antonio Fresu, Chancery Way ran a big race in defeat, holding off a fast finishing Stay and Scam by a nose for second. Off at 6-1, Chancery Way paid $5.80 and $2.80.
With Mario Gutierrez up, Stay and Scam paid $2.20 to show while finishing a half length in front of Chismosa.
Fractions on the race were 22.07, 44.82 and 1:07.02.