Old Harbor sets new turf course record in Delaware’s Rosenberger Memorial

By Sarah Mace

Joseph Birnbaum’s homebred mare Old Harbor, a 5-year-old daughter of former New York sire Raffie’s Majesty, won the $75,000 George Rosenberger Memorial at Delaware Park on Saturday while setting a new course record for 1 1/16 miles over the turf.

It did not take long after the break for the 3-1 second choice under jockey Brian Ricardo Chiappe to tip her hand, adopting the same race strategy that earned her a victory in the John Hettinger stakes a year ago: head to the lead and let the rest try to run her down.

For the first three-quarters of a mile, Old Harbor, who broke from post two, was pressed through strong splits of 23.87, 47.22 and 1:10.57 by 3-2 favorite Catcha Rising Star to her outside. Opening up two lengths early along the backstretch run, any time the would-be challenger encroached, she darted forward, gaining back any ground lost and comfortably preserving her advantage.

Swinging out into the two path in upper stretch, Old Harbor re-broke and spurted ahead. She out-finished runner up Tela, ultimately opening up to a 4 1/2-length victory. Divine Dawn finished third. The final time for the race of 1:39.95 for the over the firm turf set a new track record for a mile and a sixteenth. The previous record was held by Whale who covered the distance in 1:40.51 in 2005.

Old Harbor, who is trained by Russell Cash, is now a three-time stakes winner and adds the Rosenberger to victories in the 2014 edition of the Cupecoy’s Joy Division of the New York Stallion Stakes at Belmont Park, and last year’s John Hettinger at the same oval. Old Harbor’s career record sports seven wins, four seconds and four third from 23 starts with earnings of $481,335.

Old Harbor’s dam is Royal Mast, a New York-bred daughter of Roy, who was purchased by Cash for Birnbaum as a weanling for a mere $8,500 in 2001 at the Fasig-Tipton December mixed sale. A debut winner, as a broodmare Royal Mast has produced five winners from six foals to start. Her first foal, Shipwreckstreasure, by Service Stripe, is a multiple stakes-placed runner and earner of $254,336. Royal Mast’s final foal is a 3-year-old Cash-trained colt by Girolamo named New Harbor who has yet to hit the board for Ocean View Stables.

 

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2016/09/10/old-harbor-rosenberger/

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