Ron Anderson has taken the book of jockey Joel Rosario and will represent the rider in New York while handling his mount assignments at Saratoga Race Course, the agent confirmed Aug. 1.
Anderson will also continue to represent Alan Garcia. He picked up Garcia’s book last summer after parting ways with two-time Eclipse Award winner Garrett Gomez, and briefly represented Corey Nakatani in New York before the latter rider moved back to California to ride at Del Mar.
Rosario, 27, recently moved to New York from Southern California and is fourth in the Saratoga standings (65-8-11-9) during his first full meet, behind top New York riders Ramon Dominguez, Jose Lezcano, and Javier Castellano. Agent Ron Ebanks had been handling Rosario's business in New York; Ebanks took his book in March of 2010 after Rosario parted ways with Vic Stauffer.
“This guy is scary good,” remarked Anderson, who has represented top riders such as Hall of Famers Jerry Bailey, Kent Desormeaux, and Gary Stevens, as well as David Flores and the late Chris Antley. “He’s so strong and reminds me of Laffit Pincay Jr. when he was in his prime. He can absolutely just really finish on a horse.”
Rosario, a native of the Dominican Republic, came to the U.S. in 2006 and won riding titles at all three major Southern California tracks after moving there from Northern California in 2007. He often went head-to-head with Rafael Bejarano for leading rider honors. In 2009, the same year he upset the Breeders’ Cup Sprint (gr. I) aboard longshot Dancing in Silks, he won six races on a single card at Hollywood Park. In 2010 he added a Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile score with Dakota Phone.
Anderson said business should only continue to build for the young rider.
“You can be leading rider in California and to the people in New York, that’s like a million miles away,” he said. “Whatever you did there, it’s like, ‘Let’s see you do it here.’ But he’s got an even-tempered demeanor to him, confident but not cocky, and so far watching him ride up here I’m very impressed.”
Top horses Rosario has been associated with include Acclamation, Amazombie, Blind Luck, Brilliant Speed, Champ Pegasus, Creative Cause , Dubawi Heights, Gypsy's Warning, Harmonious, Sidney's Candy , Smiling Tiger, St. Trinians, Switch, Teeth of the Dog, Zazu. He has ranked among the top 10 riders in the nation by purses earned every year since 2009.
His first stakes score of the 2012 Saratoga season came on July 20, opening day, when he piloted Pacific Ocean to upset the James Marvin (gr. III).
