Maturing White Rose Blossoms in Dowager
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White Rose emerged from a five-horse scramble in the final 50 yards to win the $125,000 Rood & Riddle Dowager by a nose over lukewarm favorite Caroline Thomas Oct. 19 at Keeneland.
Trained by Bill Mott for owners Jake Ballis and NBA player Rashard Lewis, and ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan, 8-1 shot White Rose prevailed from the far outside post in a field of 14 fillies and mares. She ran the 1 1/2-mile distance on a firm turf course in 2:31.34. The victory was the third in the race for Mott, who won last year with Preferential and in 2005 with Briviesca.
I O Ireland set an uncontested pace with only token pressure from Frivolous through the first mile as White Rose raced midpack. On the far turn, Frivolous went after I O Ireland and took the lead into the stretch as the field began to close in.
Bridgmohan had White Rose in the five path in the stretch and in the clear, taking over in deep stretch. To White Rose's inside, Joe Rocco Jr. sent 3-1 choice Caroline Thomas between Cat's Claw and Frivolous and just fell short of catching the winner. Appealing Cat, with Rosie Napravnik up, edged Cat's Claw by a neck for third, half a length behind the runner-up.
"We needed to let her run a little bit early," Bridgmohan said of the winner. "I ended up having a good trip with her. She was trying hard the whole way. I never gave up on her. The more I asked her, the more she dug in for me."
Winner of the Kentucky Downs Ladies Marathon in her previous start, White Rose is a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Tapit out of the El Prado mare Garden Dance.
The victory increased White Rose's earnings to $392,899 with a record of 5-4-2 from 17 starts.
"Bill always felt that as she got older she was gonna get better, and I think that's what we're seeing now," said Kenny McCarthy, assistant to Mott.
A Keeneland sale graduate, White Rose returned $18.60, $7.20, and $5.20. Caroline Thomas returned $4.40 and $3.80. Appealing Cat paid $6.80 to show.
Cat's Claw was followed in order by Frivolous, Ann of the Dance, Inimitable Romanee, Sky High Lady, Charlie Em, Left a Message, La Malaguena, Topic, I O Ireland, and First Romance.