U Hush Wins Season Opener at Hoosier Park
Jockey Oriana Rossi made her 2011 Hoosier Park debut a winning effort, bringing home U Hush in the first race of the season Tuesday, Aug. 2. Rossi, one of only a handful of female riders at Hoosier Park this season, was a late addition to U Hush, who earned his first career win in his first start of 2011.
Starting from post six, Rossi rallied U Hush out well from the center of the 10-horse field as Tuff Cooper and last year’s leading rider Leandro Goncalves picked up the early advantage. U Hush sat in fourth on the outside of others and waited patiently until the only turn of the race arrived.
Heading into the turn, U Hush had moved into second and was tracking Tuff Cooper to the top of the stretch. In the stretch, U Hush and Tuff Cooper battled side by side through most of the lane before U Hush pulled away, coasting home to a three-length victory. Barry K and Terry Thompson charged home for second over Tuff Cooper for third.
Trained by Mike Lauer, U Hush is owned by his wife, Penny. Lauer has been a staple among the track’s top 10 trainers for the past decade and has scored numerous stakes wins at Hoosier Park. The Lauer Stable raises a lot of the horses that compete on the Indiana circuit, including the Ontario-bred U Hush. The four-year-old son of Tenpins increased his career bankroll to more than $12,000 in the $8,000 Maiden Claiming event running at a distance of six-furlongs. The start for U Hush was his first since February 2010 at Oaklawn Park. Rossi was not programmed to ride but picked up the call aboard U Hush earlier in the day.
“I was in Mike’s (Lauer) barn at Trackside in Louisville this morning and we were talking about this horse,” said Rossi. “He said he (U Hush) hadn’t run for a while, so he might be a little fresh. He was perfect for me today. He did what I wanted him to do, and did nothing wrong at all.”
Rossi began riding in the United States last year and ventured to Hoosier Park last fall as an apprentice rider, juggling her time between Hoosier Park and Ellis Park. Early in the meet at Hoosier Park, she was involved in an incident that left her on the sidelines for a few months with a broken collarbone. She returned to action with two weeks left in the meet and earned 10 wins and lost her apprenticeship in the final days of the season.
Born in Italy, Rossi grew up in England and had always been around horses from an early age. She didn’t really begin a career as a jockey until she came to the United States two years ago. Rossi admits the start to the 2011 Hoosier Park meet has had a better beginning than last year.
“It’s good to be back, and it’s good to get my first win out of the way,” said Rossi. “I’ll ride Hoosier Park during the week and be at Ellis Park on weekends until they close, which is around Labor Day.”
Rossi has now established Louisville, Ky. as her home base. She will be represented by new agent Mike Jackson this season and rides for several of the Kentucky based stables venturing to Hoosier Park this year.
Although Rossi doesn’t ride a lot for Lauer, she has fared well for him in Indiana. The last horse that Rossi rode for Lauer prior to her win aboard U Hush was during the final weekend of racing at Hoosier Park last fall. Rossi guided Purely Amature to victory in a maiden special weight, winning by nearly six lengths.
Photo by Linscott Photography