Rosie’s a cozy winner in Senorita

Cozi Rosie showed what a difference a trip makes (Benoit Photos) Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Moss’ homebred COZI ROSIE (Pleasantly Perfect) was seventh when squeezed back along the rail in the Providencia S. (G2) last out, but with clear sailing in Sunday’s $100,000 Senorita S. (G3) at Hollywood Park, she showed her true ability and turned the Providencia form upside down. With Mike Smith taking the overland route this time, the John Sadler trainee mowed down Providencia winner City to City (City Zip) and easily held the late bid of Providencia runner-up Andina (Ire) (Singspiel [Ire]) by one length. Cozi Rosie rattled off the firm-turf mile in 1:35 to notch her first stakes victory, paying $9.20, $5.20 and $2.40 as the 7-2 third choice. “She had a lot of trouble last time down on the rail,” Sadler said. “She was in the clear today. We knew she was capable of winning this. It’s always good to win a graded stakes, especially with a filly. We’ll point her for the American Oaks ([G1] on July 3).” “We kind of experimented with her last time out trying to get her to relax,” Smith said of the Providencia. “We were on the rail and for a second it looked like she could get through, but she had to steady.

“Today, I moved her a little sooner than I wanted, but it worked out OK. This
was another good learning experience for her, and I think she’ll move forward in
the American Oaks, if that’s where they choose to run her.”

Andina rallied to catch even-money favorite City to City by a nose at the wire. The
5-2 runner-up returned $4.40 and $2.40 while capping the $18.10 exacta ($1).
City to City, who had stalked the front-running I’mneverwrong (Ire)
(Compton Place) through fractions of :24, :47 4/5 and 1:11 3/5, took the
lead turning for home but soon surrendered the advantage to Cozi Rosie.
Third place gave back $2.10, and the $1 trifecta was good for $28.90.
Triple Cream (Tapit) rounded out the $159.30 superfecta (5-7-6-8) ($1)
and was followed under the wire by I’mneverwrong, Hasty (Ire)
(Invincible Spirit) and Pulpit Magic (Pulpit). Elusive Galaxy (Ire)
(Elusive City) was scratched.

Cozi Rosie first attracted notice when breaking her maiden smartly in her
third career start, but her two-turn debut, over Santa Anita’s Pro-Ride in
January. The chestnut captured an allowance/optional claimer next time out,
defeating eventual Sunland Park Oaks winner Harissa (Afleet Alex). Cozi Rosie
earned a crack at the top level in the Santa Anita Oaks (G1), but failed to make an
impact and retreated to fifth. Switched to the turf for the first time in the Providencia,
she appeared to be moving well, and in striking position, before being shut off
in the stretch. Cozi Rosie avenged that setback in the
Senorita, advancing her mark to 7-3-0-1, $127,280.

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 a pair of
younger half-siblings, an unnamed juvenile filly by Forest Wildcat and an
unnamed yearling colt by Giacomo. This is the family of St Leger (Eng-G1) hero
Lucarno (Dynaformer), England’s co-highweight three-year-old stayer in 2007.