Called to Serve, who had been knocking on the door by finishing in the money in three consecutive starts, kicked it down with a triumph in Saturday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Discovery Handicap, New York’s final graded stakes of the season for 3-year-old males at Aqueduct.
Called to Serve, ridden for the first time by Joel Rosario, draws clear in the Discovery.
Beaten a head by odds-on choice Willy Beamin in the Oklahoma Derby for former trainer Peter Eurton, Called to Serve gained revenge with a comprehensive victory from off the pace in his second start for Nick Canani, and the gelding by Afleet Alex did it on the square.
Willy Beamin was able to set up shop on an easy lead through moderate fractions of 24.63 seconds, 49.36 and 1:13.29, and appeared to be holding all the cards. But Called to Serve began picking off horses on the outside turning for home with new pilot Joel Rosario, caught the favorite just outside the eighth pole, and drew off with every stride to win by 4 3/4 lengths.
“It was easy for me,” said Rosario. “I just had to put him in the right spot. He was all game today. Every time I asked him, he was there. I like to ride that kind of horse.”
Called to Serve paid $9.60 as the second choice in the six-horse field, and ran the 1 1/8 miles in 1:49.77 over a fast main track. The Discovery was his first stakes win, and upped his record to 3-1-3 from 10 starts.
“He came to New York and ran in the Temperence Hill as a prep for this,” said Canani. “I was a bit concerned when I saw the slow fractions, but I can only control my own horse. The last three weeks he’s made great strides, put on weight, filled out, and he was doing super. Around the turn he was in the clear and didn’t have any traffic trouble.”
Nov 17, 2012 -- Called to Serve stormed from last to first to earn his first graded stakes victory in Saturday's 68th running of the Grade 3, $150,000 Discovery Handicap at Aqueduct Racetrack. Ridden by Joel Rosario, the 3-year-old gelded son of Afleet Alex sat patiently behind tepid fractions of 24.63, 49.36 and 1:13.29 set by 3-4 favorite Willy Beamin, then launched a four-wide rally through the stretch to take command before the eighth pole. His winning time for the 1 1/8 miles over a fast track was 1:49.77.
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Location: Aqueduct Racetrack
Distance:1 1/2 miles (9 furlongs)
Track: Dirt, left-handed
Qualification: Three-year-olds
Weight: Gr. III
Purse: $100,000
| Year | Winner | Jockey | Trainer | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Plainsman | Joel Rosario | Brad H. Cox | 1:52.14 |
| 2017 | Control Group | Joel Rosario | Rudy R. Rodriguez | 1:52.83 |
| 2016 | Sticksstatelydude | Joel Rosario | Kiaran P. McLaughlin | 1:50.58 |
| 2015 | Tommy Macho | Javier Castellano | Todd A. Pletcher | 1:51.67 |
| 2014 | Protonico | Joe Bravo | Todd Pletcher | 1:51.92 |
| 2013 | Romansh | Jose Ortiz | Thomas Albertrani | 1:48.28 |
| 2012 | Called to Serve | Joel Rosario | Nick Canani | 1:49.77 |
| 2011 | Redeemed | Edgar Prado | Rick Dutrow Jr. | 1:49.22 |
| 2010 | Stormy's Majesty | Edgar Prado | Domenic Galluscio | 1:50.02 |
| 2009 | Haynesfield | Ramon Dominguez | Steve Asmussen | 1:50.10 |
| 2008 | Wishful Tomcat | Ramon Dominguez | Gary C. Contessa | 1:53.28 |
| 2007 | Now a Victor | John Velazquez | Michael Trombetta | 1:50.15 |
| 2006 | Roman Dynasty | John Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | 1:51.11 |
| 2005 | Magna Graduate | John Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | 1:41.35 |
| 2004 | Zakocity | Javier Castellano | Patrick L. Reynolds | 1:49.78 |
| 2003 | During | Jose A. Santos | Bob Baffert | 1:51.18 |
| 2002 | Saint Marden | Jerry D. Bailey | Michael R. Matz | 1:49.13 |
| 2001 | Evening Attire | Shaun Bridgmohan | Patrick J. Kelly | 1:48.62 |
| 2000 | Left Bank | John Velazquez | Todd A. Pletcher | 1:47.30 |
| 1999 | Adonis | John Velazquez | Nick Zito | 1:50.11 |
| 1998 | Early Warning | Jorge F. Chavez | Todd A. Pletcher | 1:48.94 |
| 1997 | Mr. Sinatra | Mike E. Smith | Gasper Moschera | 1:49.55 |
| 1996 | Gold Fever | Mike E. Smith | Claude R. McGaughey III | 1:49.01 |
| 1995 | Michael's Star | Julie Krone | Guadalupe Preciado | 1:50.34 |
| 1994 | Serious Spender | Jorge F. Chavez | Dominick A. Schettino | 1:51.24 |
| 1993 | Prospector's Flag | Jorge F. Chavez | Nick Zito | 1:52.30 |
| 1992 | New Deal | Robbie Davis | William Badgett, Jr | 1:48.08 |
| 1991 | Upon My Soul | Jean-Luc Samyn | Richard Violette, Jr. | 1:49.60 |
| 1990 | Sports View | Jose A. Santos | D. Wayne Lukas | 1:48.60 |
| 1989 | Tricky Creek | Craig Perret | George R. Arnold III | 1:50.00 |
| 1988 | Dynaformer | Angel Cordero, Jr. | D. Wayne Lukas | 1:50.00 |
| 1987 | Parochial | Julie Krone | Robert Klesaris | 1:51.20 |
| 1986 | Moment of Hope | Mike Venezia | Bob Dunham | 1:49.60 |
| 1985 | Proud Truth | Jorge Velasquez | John M. Veitch | 1:49.20 |
| 1984 | Key to the Moon | Dan Beckon | Gil Rowntree | 1:50.00 |
| 1983 | Country Pine | Jerry D. Bailey | Thomas L. Rondinello | 1:49.60 |
| 1982 | Trenchant | Jean-Luc Samyn | Philip G. Johnson | 1:50.80 |
| 1981 | Princelet | Eddie Maple | John P. Campo | 1:51.00 |
| 1980 | Fappiano | Angel Cordero, Jr. | Jan H. Nerud | 1:50.00 |
| 1979 | Belle's Gold | Angel Cordero, Jr. | Walter A. Kelley | 1:48.00 |
| 1978 | Sorry Lookin | Roger Velez | Pete D. Anderson | 1:49.60 |
| 1977 | Cox's Ridge | Eddie Maple | Joseph B. Cantey | 1:48.60 |
| 1976 | Wise Philip | Daryl Montoya | William Boland | 1:48.60 |
| 1975 | Dr. Emil | Braulio Baeza | William F. Schmitt | 1:48.60 |
| 1974 | Rube the Great | Angel Cordero, Jr. | Pancho Martin | 1:48.20 |
| 1974 | Green Gambados | Angel Cordero, Jr. | Laz Barrera | 1:48.20 |
| 1973 | Forego | Heliodoro Gustines | Eddie Hayward | 1:47.20 |
| 1972 | Forage | Eddie Maple | James W. Maloney | 1:48.60 |
| 1971 | Autobiography | Laffit Pincay, Jr. | Pancho Martin | 1:50.40 |
| 1970 | Burd Alane | Jorge Velasquez | Victor J. Nickerson | 1:47.40 |
| 1969 | Hydrologist | Doug Thomas | Roger Laurin | 1:47.60 |
| 1968 | Ardoise | Eddie Belmonte | Angel Penna, Sr. | 1:49.20 |
| 1967 | Bold Hour | Bill Shoemaker | Bert Mulholland | 1:48.60 |
| 1966 | Deck Hand † | Bill Shoemaker | Scotty Schulhofer | 1:49.60 |
| 1965 | Sammyren | Heliodoro Gustines | Burley Parke | 1:49.00 |
| 1964 | Roman Brother | Fernando Alvarez | Burley Parke | 1:49.00 |
| 1963 | Quest Link | Bill Shoemaker | Robert D. Wingfield | 1:49.80 |
| 1962 | Comic | Larry Adams | James E. Fitzsimmons | 1:48.60 |
| 1961 | Ambiopoise | Bill Shoemaker | Thomas M. Waller | 1:48.80 |
| 1960 | Kelso | Eddie Arcaro | Carl Hanford | 1:48.40 |
| 1959 | Middle Brother | Eddie Arcaro | E. Barry Ryan | 1:50.60 |
| 1958 | Warhead | Eddie Arcaro | Kay Erik Jensen | 1:51.20 |
| 1957 | Ben Lomand | Eddie Arcaro | James E. Ryan | 1:49.20 |
| 1956 | Reneged | Ismael Valenzuela | Homer C. Pardue | 1:48.20 |
| 1955 | Westward Ho | Conn McCreary | not found | 1:52.80 |
| 1954 | Chevation | Eric Guerin | Richard E. Handlen | 1:50.00 |
| 1953 | Level Lea | Bennie Green | James E. Fitzsimmons | 1:52.00 |
| 1952 | Ancestor | Ted Atkinson | James E. Fitzsimmons | 1:50.80 |
| 1951 | Alerted | Ovie Scurlock | Jimmy Penrod | 1:50.40 |
| 1950 | Sunglow | Douglas Dodson | Preston M. Burch | 1:49.00 |
| 1949 | Prophets Thumb | Dave Gorman | Max Hirsch | 1:52.20 |
| 1948 | Better Self | Dave Gorman | Max Hirsch | 1:53.80 |
| 1947 | Cosmic Bomb | Ovie Scurlock | Willie Booth | 1:51.20 |
| 1946 | Mighty Story | Basil James | Burley Parke | 1:51.80 |
| 1945 | War Jeep | Arnold Kirkland | Tom Smith | 1:51.40 |
