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Rosario fires Stauffer, hires Ebanks Joel Rosario, Santa Anita's top stakes rider this meet with eight wins and second to Rafael Bejarano in the overall jockey standings, fired agent Vic Stauffer Wednesday and hired Ron Ebanks, who had represented cousins Tyler and Michael Baze. Stauffer also handles business for jockey Martin Garcia, who won last Saturday's Santa Anita H. (G1) aboard Misremembered (Candy Ride [Arg]). "Joel contacted me yesterday after the races," Stauffer said Thursday morning. "He said very little. He said he felt that he could do better with a new agent. That's all he said. "I was heartbroken," Stauffer responded when asked if he was taken aback by Rosario's decision. "I put my heart and soul into it and thought I did a great job. I feel saddened, but I wish him well." Stauffer had represented the 25-year-old Rosario, a native of the Dominican Republic, for 16 months. "I got him at the fall meet of Hollywood in 2008," Stauffer said. "At that time, he was 10th in the standings; he ended up second. The next meet was the main one at Santa Anita, he finished third. The next meet was Hollywood spring; he was leading rider. Then was Del Mar; he was leading rider. Then came Oak Tree. He had a chance to tie for the title in the last race of the meet, and finished second. "The next meet was Hollywood fall, and he was leading rider. In 2009, he was fifth in North America in purse earnings, and thus far this year, he is third in North America in purse earnings and the leading stakes winner at Santa Anita this meet, second in the standings, and he's missed 11 days." Ebanks will represent Rosario effective immediately. "He's the best young rider I've seen," Ebanks said. "The sky's the limit." Michael Baze said he would ride out the Santa Anita meet, then head to Arlington where he will be represented by agent Jay Fedor, who currently handles Corey Nakatani. Tyler Baze, whose ties were severed by Ebanks when he took Rosario, reportedly was set to decide on a new agent shortly.
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