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Cozi Rosie makes a stylish return in Buena Vista
Briecat forced the pace set by Burg Berg (Johannesburg) through an opening quarter in :23 2/5, but decided to take matters into her own hands on the backstretch. After rattling off splits of :47 2/5 and 1:11, Briecat was challenged by Lilly Fa Pootz (Gilded Time) on the far turn. Briecat easily repulsed that bid and opened up by 2 1/2 lengths in midstretch. Her immediate pursuers were all treading water, but farther back and wider out, Cozi Rosie was beginning to deploy her ground-devouring strides. Looking stronger the farther she went, Cozi Rosie reached top gear in the nick of time, rolled to a 1 1/4-length decision, and finished one mile on the firm turf in 1:35 4/5. "We were happy to see the speed in there because she wants to come off the pace," Sadler said. "That's when she started to get really good last year, when she relaxed in the end and closed good. We think she'll run right on out the distance, so that's a lot of fun. It was a perfect ride. He (Mike Smith) just let her settle and stayed off the speed." "There was certainly a sense of relief when I saw Evening Jewel scratch out of the race," Smith said. "She's very talented and she has tactical speed. She would have been making the first run, and I would have had to try and run her down. "My horse is sharp and she got away well. I opted to get her clear real quick down the backside just because she's a big filly and I needed to give her some room. I didn't care about going wide because I already saved ground on the first turn, and she ran dynamite. "I'm telling you, she has an abundance of talent," Smith continued. "To be honest, I haven't been around her in the morning, but I'm sure glad I was on her today. She has so much room to improve. I don't know how many gears she has, but she only used a couple of them today." Briecat just held second by a nose from Malibu Pier (Malibu Moon). Next came Burg Berg, Lilly Fa Pootz, Turning Top (Ire) (Pivotal), Late Cuddle (NZ) (Postponed), It Tiz (Tiznow), Spring Style (Ire) (Pivotal) and Bonnie Blue Flag (Mineshaft). Besides Evening Jewel, who will now await Saturday's Valentine Dancer H., Restless Soul (GB) (Singspiel [Ire]) and Prytania (Royal Academy) were also withdrawn. Cozi Rosie has compiled a record of 9-4-1-1 while bankrolling $247,280. The chestnut's first two victories came over the old Pro-Ride last winter, earning her a crack at the top level in the Santa Anita Oaks (G1). After she failed to make an impact there and retreated to fifth, Cozi Rosie switched to turf for the first time in the Providencia S. (G2), where she appeared to be moving well, and in striking position, before being shut off in the stretch. Cozi Rosie avenged that setback by capturing the Senorita S. (G3) next time out, stamping herself as an up-and-comer in the division. She confirmed that impression with her runner-up performance in the Honeymoon, only to head to the sidelines. "She went off last year where we weren't happy with her," Sadler said of the layoff, "and the Mosses are great if you have an issue and you want to do something with a horse. They tell you to do what's right every time, so that's what really makes it nice for the trainer." Out of the winning Golden Fleece mare Felidia (Ire), the Kentucky-bred is a half-sister to Grade 2 hero Lexicon (Conquistador Cielo) and multiple stakes scorer My Captain (Conquistador Cielo), both sprinters. She also has an unnamed juvenile half-brother by Giacomo. This is the family of St Leger (Eng-G1) hero Lucarno (Dynaformer), England's co-highweight three-year-old stayer in 2007.
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