Rockport Harbor’s May Day Rose, already a Stakes winner after her victory in the Sharp Cat Stakes over one and one-sixteenth miles, stepped up to win the G3 Santa Ysabel Stakes at Santa Anita on January 9 at the same distance.
The outcome was never in doubt as jockey Rafael Bejarano had her comfortably on the lead the whole way, finishing one and one-quarter lengths in front to improve her record to three wins from five starts for owner Kaleem Shah and trainer Bob Baffert. This victory is her third on a different track, having won on Cushion Track at Hollywood Park, Polytrack at Del Mar, and now dirt at Santa Anita.
Bred in Florida by Bridlewood Farm, May Day Rose is out of the Pine Bluff mare May Day Bluff, who has produced Stakes winner May Day Vow, and is herself a half-sister to multiple Graded Stakes winner Roza Robata.
Rockport Harbor is a top ten first crop stallion with 20 winners in 2010. Among those is other Stakes winners Bear’s Future, as well as G3-placed Minutesandtouches and Stakes-placed Cane Garden Bay, who finished a fast-closing third in the Spectacular Bid Stakes at Gulfstream Park the day before May Day Rose won the Santa Ysabel.
