Jastar Capital, Polivka Equine Holdings, and Timothy Madden's White Rocks grabbed the lead at the break and never looked back, securing a front-running victory in the $175,000 Cincinnati Trophy Stakes at Turfway Park Feb. 21 on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks.
All 11 fillies broke in a perfect line in the mile race on Tapeta, but White Rocks quickly established control on the front end under jockey Victor Carrasco. She set fractions of :24.38 for the opening quarter-mile and expanded her lead to seven lengths through a half-mile in :47.79. At the top of the stretch, she maintained a three-length advantage as Admit launched her late bid. Despite Admit's rally, White Rocks held firm to win by 1 1/4 lengths, with Somethinabouther closing from eighth to finish third.
Bracelet was fourth, and favored Girl Math was fifth.
Trained by Arnaud Delacour, White Rocks completed the distance in 1:39.69 and paid $13.30 to win.
"She has a lot of speed but you don't have to do much to get her to the front," Carrasco said. "The turn came up quick and you have to be alert to secure position early."
This was White Rocks' second career victory from just three starts. The gray and/or roan daughter of Frosted out of the Kitten's Joy mare Kitten's Catch has now banked $166,354 in purse earnings.
The Cincinnati Trophy awarded Kentucky Oaks qualifying points to nominated runners on a 20-10-6-4-2 scale to the top five finishers.
