I Need You, Rockin Jojo take restricted stakes
I Need You and jockey Yamil Rosario won the West Virginia Futurity. Photo by Coady Photography.
by Frank Vespe
I Need You stalked the early pace, grabbed the lead at the quarter pole, and went on to win last night’s West Virginia Futurity by 1 1/4 lengths.
It was the first career victory for the two-year-old Denis of Cork gelding, who previously had two seconds and two thirds from six career starts.
Candy Man One took the lead after a half-mile in 49.94 seconds in the seven-furlong test but was soon overhauled by I Need You, with Yamil Rosario in the irons. Candy Man One held second, while Laso the Man rallied from last to take third. Jacky’s Man, the 3-5 favorite, could do no better than fourth. Running time for seven furlongs was 1:29.55.
Added ground appears to have done the trick for I Need You. In his prior start, he had run second in the Tri-State Futurity at odds of nearly 10-1. That race was the first time he had run around two turns on a fast main track.
I Need You, out of the unraced Hansel mare Ginger Crumb, now has a win and $72,095 in earnings from seven career starts. He was bred in West Virginia by his owner-trainer, John A. Casey.
ROCKIN JOJO WINS GEISHA FOR SECOND STRAIGHT STAKES WIN
From a Maryland Jockey Club release
Michael R. Cox’s Rockin Jojo, a 31-1 upset winner of the Maryland Million Distaff in her previous start, came charging down the middle of the track and held off Candida H. to win the $75,000 Geisha presented by Detail Finishes.
The one-mile Geisha for Maryland-bred/sired females 3 and up capped Saturday’s Fall Festival of Racing program. Trained by Guadalupe Preciado, Rockin Jojo ($19.40) ran one mile in 1:39.42.
A 4-year-old daughter of Street Magician, Rockin Jojo was reserved in the early going behind 25-1 long shot pacesetter Brenda’s Way, in front through fractions of 23.56 and 46.75 seconds. Jockey Angel Cruz, also aboard in the Maryland Million, swept to the outside leaving the backstretch with Rockin Jojo, who has limited vision in her right eye.
“The instructions were to get him into good position and then take him out because he has only one eye,” Cruz said. “That’s what I did and he gave me all he had for the second race in a row.”
Rockin Jojo continued to roll into mid-stretch when she was engaged by Candida H., but outran the Conniver Stakes winner to prevail by a head. Wowwhatabrat finished third.
“We thought she could run good. She was training very good for this race. It looks like she loves this track,” Preciado said. “She can only see a little bit in one eye. I like to see if we can keep it outside and not get hit with dirt and he did a good job. The kid rode her unbelievable.”
