My World overtakes favored Balboa late in $150K Jerome

Robert V. LaPenta and Madaket Stables’ My World edged past the 3-5 favorite Balboa late to win Saturday’s $150,000 Jerome, a one-turn mile for sophomores, at Aqueduct Racetrack. 

Trained by dual Eclipse Award-winner Brad Cox, My World received 10 Kentucky Derby qualifying points in victory. The Essential Quality gray entered from a 3 1/2-length victory over dual stakes-winner Probably Dreaming in the Listed Nashua over course and distance on November 1. 

Connections opted to skip the nine-furlong Grade 2 Remsen on December 6 here, a similar 10-5-3-2-1 Kentucky Derby points-qualifier, and wait for the Jerome. Saturday’s score marked My World’s third consecutive local victory, having also graduated second-out sprinting six furlongs on October 4 here. 

“We skipped the Remsen for this one to give him more time,” said Dustin Dugas, Cox’s Belmont Park-based assistant. “He's a smaller horse and the other race was a mile and an eighth, so this gives him another mile race under his belt and then maybe we can step forward with some more distance. He's really improving - mentally more so than anything.”

Piloted by Jaime Rodriguez, who was also aboard for the Nashua, My World exited post 3 cleanly but settled at the back of the four-horse field to the outside of the inward-breaking Enforced Agenda as Freedom’s Echo set an opening quarter-mile of 23.58 seconds over the fast dirt while pressured by Balboa. 

“He broke pretty good and the race came out the way I was handicapping,” said Rodriguez. “I said, ‘maybe the two [Freedom’s Echo] will go out a bit in front and then Balboa is going to sit behind the two.’ I was just going to sit behind both of them just getting a nice trip.” 

Freedom’s Echo and Balboa vied for command heading into the turn as My World took third position outside of Enforced Agenda through the half-mile in 47.12. Balboa then took command under Manny Franco as Freedom’s Echo retreated, with My World improving wide in the turn with his sights set on the new leader.

At the top of the lane, Balboa held a one-length advantage over My World as three-quarters elapsed in 1:12.23. When straightened away, it was a two-horse race, Balboa holding his lead into nearly the final sixteenth before My World inched past, as the rivals exchanged some bumps, to win by two lengths in a final time of 1:38.96. 

“Once I hit him once on the left, he corrected himself,” Rodriguez said of My World lugging in. “Once we turned into the top of the lane and he changed the lead, he just gave me another gear and he exploded.”

Enforced Agenda finished 3 3/4 lengths back in third, with Freedom’s Echo completing the order of finish. Mailata, who won the Parx Future Stars by 19 lengths on Tuesday at its namesake track, was scratched. 

“Every time when he gets next to horses, he wants to lug in. Once he gets away, he’s fine,” added Rodriguez. “Once he changes his lead, he gives me that kick again and I’m like, ‘my God, he’s going to go again!’”

Dugas agreed that My World has some room for improvement. In the Nashua, My World bumped with a rival at the three-eighths pole before kicking clear.  

"This horse is still figuring things out. With each race, he's maturing mentally but it's still like he's not completely there. You'll see every time he comes by a horse; he'll still want to lean in,” Dugas said. “Right now, he's doing things on raw ability. Even in the mornings, he still messes around. When he does focus and you get down and start riding on him, he'll run on. He's a very talented little colt, but he can still get in his own way."

Franco said the Brittany Russell-trained Balboa, who was third last out in the Grade 2 Remsen, was game in defeat as he exited the outermost post 4. 

“That’s the trip I wanted. I wanted to stalk someone. I don’t want to – with the outside post – just go over to the rail and let them chase me. I just stayed there and I moved when I wanted to,” Franco said. “We had a little brush, but at the same time, I hit left-handed and came out to try to [let] my horse see him. I was second best. He beat me.”

Balboa picked up five Kentucky Derby points for his runner-up effort in the Jerome, bringing his tally to nine points after earning three points in the Remsen [3rd] and one point for a fifth-place effort in the Grade 1 American Pharoah in October at Santa Anita Park.

Bred in Kentucky by Cove Springs, My World, a $350,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase, is out of the Grade 3-placed Into Mischief mare Quebec. He earned $82,500 in victory while improving his record to 4-3-0-0 and returning $7.24 for a $2 win bet.

Live racing resumes Sunday at Aqueduct Racetrack with an eight-race card. First post is 12:40 p.m. Eastern. 

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