Graded Winners Seek Garland of Roses Return

The $100,000 Garland of Roses Stakes is a modest event on the Aqueduct Racetrack schedule, but this year two graded winners look to return to winning ways in the six-furlong test. 

Princess Violet, who won the Madison Stakes (gr. I) at Keeneland in April, has not raced since a fifth for Mike Hushion in the June 6 Ogden Phipps Stakes (gr. I) at Belmont Park. In two other starts this season, Barry Schwartz's New York-bred Officer  filly was second in both the May 9 Ruffian Stakes (gr. II) and the Feb. 14 Barbara Fritchie Handicap (gr. II). She will break from post 6 in a field of seven fillies and mares, 3-year-olds and up, and is the 123-pound co-highweight under Junior Alvarado.

Directly to the outside of Princess Violet is her fellow highweight Classic Point. The Florida-bred Flatter   filly won both the Go for Wand Handicap (gr. III) last November and the Inside Information Stakes (gr. II) in March of this year, but had time off until September and has not returned to winning form for trainer Jimmy Jerkens since then. She was fifth in the Sept. 26 Gallant Bloom Handicap (gr. II) and finished in the same position when dropped down to the $100,000 Pumpkin Pie Stakes Nov. 1 at Belmont, a race she won in 2014. Cornelio Velasquez has the mount from the outside.

David Jacobson has the Harlington mare Room for Me coming off a seventh in the TwinSpires Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. I) Oct. 31 at Keeneland, Shug McGaughey saddles La Madrina off a fourth in the Oct. 30 Turnback the Alarm Handicap (gr. II) at Belmont, and Gary Contessa puts in Nuffsaid Nuffsaid, claimed for $40,000 last time out after an 11-length romp at the Garland of Roses distance at Aqueduct Nov. 19.

Allowance winners Medaglia d'Argento and Jubilant Vision complete the field.