Breeders' Cup Classic: Rosario to ride Flat Out
October 23, 2013Joel Rosario on Sunday was announced as the rider on Flat Out for the $5 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 2 at Santa Anita, a development that had been hinted at days earlier.
Ron Anderson, Rosario’s agent, said the jockey was thrilled to get back on the horse. Rosario and Flat Out teamed to finish third behind Fort Larned and Mucho Macho Man in last year’s Classic.
“It looks like there’s a lot of speed in this year’s race, and the horse ran well there last year on a day where it was speed biased,” Anderson said from New York. “He was one of the only horses to close ground.”
Junior Alvarado had ridden Flat Out in his last six starts, which included wins in the Westchester and Suburban at Belmont Park. Rosario recently returned to action, and until Sunday, he was without a mount in the Breeders' Cup Classic. Rosario won the 2012 Jockey Club Gold Cup on Flat Out, who is trained by Bill Mott.
Rosario last rode Flat Out on Feb. 9 in the Donn Handicap at Gulfstream Park, where they finished fourth. Alvarado had been on him since.
Rosario was off from Aug. 23 until Oct. 11 with a broken bone in a foot.
Pre-entries for the Breeders’ Cup are due Monday and will be announced Wednesday.