My World charges forward. (Joe Labozzetta)
NYRA Press Office
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Robert V. LaPenta and Madaket Stables’ My World made a successful stakes debut with a close-up trip under Jaime Rodriguez in Saturday’s Listed $150,000 Nashua, a one-turn mile for juveniles, at Belmont at the Big A.
Trained by dual Eclipse Award-winner Brad Cox, the Essential Quality gray entered from a second-out graduation sprinting six furlongs on October 4 here. After a fourth on debut in August at Saratoga Race Course in a maiden won by Big Dom, who subsequently ran sixth in the Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity, My World has improved to 2-for-3 overall through his local scores.
My World exited post 3 and was hustled a tad by Rodriguez to track the pacesetting Tough Guy Tony, who stumbled at the start from the inside post, with Day One Starter and Probably Dreaming close behind through the opening quarter-mile in 23.33 seconds over the fast dirt.
“I thought the one and the five [Day One Starter] would go to the lead and only the one left, so I said I’m just going to try [being forward] because the five didn’t get a good break,” said Rodriguez, aboard My World for the first time in the afternoon.
Tough Guy Tony carved out the half-mile in 46.99 with My World on his outside hip, with Day One Starter and Probably Dreaming still sitting close with a ways back to Empire of Glory. My World, with minimal urging in the turn, drew up to even terms with Tough Guy Tony as Carlos Lopez tipped Probably Dreaming out from the rail to launch his bid through three-quarters in 1:12.18.
My World took over nearing the eighth-pole, but faced an immediate challenge from Probably Dreaming, who closed the gap with one tap from Lopez, whose crop slipped out of his left hand. My World still had plenty, looking his challenger in the eye and powering home to a 3 1/2-length victory in a final time of 1:37.90.
“When the horse got next to him, he gave me a good kick at the top of the lane, and I was still loaded,” Rodriguez said. “I hit him once on the left because he likes lugging in at the top of the lane and when I hit him the second one on the right, he gave me another kick, and he gave me everything.”
The favored Day One Starter was third with Tough Guy Tony completing the superfecta. Empire of Glory rounded out the order of finish.
Lopez, who previously piloted the Gary Capuano-trained Probably Dreaming to a 3-for-3 record and a pair of Mid-Atlantic stakes wins, said his horse performed admirably.
“I dropped my whip and when I hit, he gives me a little more. He did everything right; we just didn’t have good luck,” Lopez said.
Bred in Kentucky by Cove Springs, My World, out of the Grade 3-placed Into Mischief mare Quebec, was a $350,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase. He banked $82,500 in victory while returning $8.34 for a $2 win bet.
Live racing resumes Sunday with an 11-race card to close out the Belmont at the Big A fall meet, featuring the Listed Turnback the Alarm in Race 1, the Grade 3 Forty Niner in Race 4, the Grade 2 Red Smith in Race 7 and the Grade 3 Bold Ruler in Race 9. First post is 11:35 a.m. Eastern.
