Leparoux Pleased With CONCRETE ROSE’S Latest Work Toward Saratoga Oaks

NYRA Press Office | 07.27.2019 | 2:46pm

Concrete Rose dominates the Belmont Oaks

Ashbrook Farm and BBN Racing’s Concrete Rose was back to work on Saturday morning when posting her second breeze since a triumph in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational. The Twirling Candy dark bay went a half-mile in 49.05 seconds over the turf course at Saratoga’s Oklahoma training track for trainer Rusty Arnold.

The move was her second local work towards her next start in the $750,000 Saratoga Oaks Invitational presented by Encore Boston Harbor. On July 19, she went a half-mile in 53.20 seconds over the Oklahoma turf.

Concrete Rose has won all three of her starts this year, capturing the Grade 3 Florida Oaks at Tampa Bay Downs, the Grade 3 Edgewood at Churchill Downs and most recently the Belmont Oaks.

“I thought she went very well. Julien (Leparoux) was happy with her work and if he’s happy then I’m happy. Everything is good,” Arnold said.

Concrete Rose defeated a stellar field of turf sophomore fillies in the last out Belmont Oaks including last year’s Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Newspaperofrecord, as well as Irish group stakes winners Coral Beach and Just Wonderful.

Next on the table for Concrete Rose is the Saratoga Oaks, which is the second leg of the newly designed Turf Tiara, which includes the Belmont Oaks, Saratoga Oaks and the $750,000 Jockey Club Oaks on September 7 at Belmont Park going 1 3/8 miles over the turf.

Given the fact that she has won at a wide range of distances, Arnold feels that the Saratoga Oaks’ 1 3/16-mile distance is within her wheelhouse.

“Right now, she is [the best 3-year-old turf filly in the country], but we’re halfway through the year and hope we continue on. She won at five-and-a-half furlongs, a mile-and-a-quarter and in the middle so its not an issue I think the mile and three sixteenths is well within her ability,” Arnold said.

Bred in Kentucky by Ron Patterson, Concrete Rose was purchased by bloodstock agent David Ingordo from last year’s Fasig-Tipton Mid Atlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale for $61,000.