Jeremy Rose was at Santa Anita Park Oct. 24 to ride two horses on the Breeders’ Cup “Ladies' Day” card, but he didn’t stay in town for long.
After taking home second money aboard Rosinka in the Las Palmas Handicap (gr. IIT), and winning a $75,000 allowance/optional claimer with Cherokee Artist for trainer H. Graham Motion, the jockey jetted back to the Midwest to ride four horses on Keeneland’s closing-day card Oct. 25.
Rose has been like a man without a country since a June 23 incident at his former base of Delaware Park, where stewards issued him a six-month suspension after ruling that the jockey “engaged in extreme misuse of the whip” during the stretch run aboard Appeal to the City in late June. Though his suspension was later reduced to three months, and he was permitted to return to the saddle Sept. 23, he received a less-than-welcoming reception at Delaware Park and decided to shift his tack elsewhere.
Rose has ridden in New York, Pennsylvania, and Kentucky since the ban was lifted.
“I was kind of getting a bad feeling at Delaware, and the purses at (Philadelphia Park Casino & Racetrack) are very strong—fabulous, in fact,” said Rose, a native of Bellefonte, Pa. “I’ve been winning at the same percentage with the same people I rode for (in Delaware), so we seem to be off to a good start.”
Rose said the incident, in which the horse experienced some hemorrhaging around its eye due to contact with his whip, was accidental. And horsemen have not lost their faith in his ability; he is riding for the likes of Anthony Dutrow and Motion on a regular basis.
Rose’s change in location also necessitated a change in agents. John “Kid” Breeden, who was handling his book, chose to stay at Delaware Park with jockey Joe Rocco Jr. after taking that rider’s book when Rose was unable to ride. Rocco is currently second in the standings to perennial leader Ramon Dominguez. Rose’s new agent is Mark Mace.
The jockey is considering spending time in New York during Aqueduct’s inner-track meet, and will likely travel back to Kentucky to ride select mounts at Churchill Downs. He also is riding at Laurel Park in Maryland.
“The competition factor definitely drives me,” Rose said.
Rose, 29, won the 2005 Preakness and Belmont Stakes (both gr. I) aboard Afleet Alex. In 2001, he was honored with an Eclipse Award as top apprentice jockey.
