My World (Essential Quality), winner of the Nashua S. at Aqueduct Nov. 1, made it three straight wins in Saturday's $150,000 Jerome S. at the Big A, good for 10 points on the road to the Kentucky Derby.
The gray, off at odds of 5-2 in this scratched-down field of four going a one-turn mile, trailed the quartet through an opening quarter in :23.58. He began to make his move on the far turn, set his sights on favored Balboa (Not This Time) at the quarter pole and kept on coming in the stretch to win by two lengths.
Dustin Dugas, assistant to winning trainer Brad Cox, said: “We skipped the (GII) Remsen for this one to give him more time. He's a smaller horse and the other race was a mile and an eighth, so this gives him another mile race under his belt and then maybe we can step forward with some more distance. He's really improving–mentally more so than anything.
“This horse is still figuring things out. With each race, he's maturing mentally but it's still like he's not completely there. You'll see every time he comes by a horse; he'll still want to lean in. It's just some greenness on his end, but talented, nonetheless. Once he got past that horse, he ran on and kept a straight course.
“Right now, he's doing things on raw ability. Even in the mornings, he still messes around. When he does focus and you get down and start riding on him, he'll run on. He's a very talented little colt, but he can still get in his own way.”
My World, a debut fourth sprinting at Saratoga Aug. 23, graduated by a neck at second asking going six furlongs at Aqueduct Oct. 4. He earned a 79 Beyer Speed Figure in the Nashua over this same course and distance.
My World is one of three black-type winners from the first crop of Essential Quality. The winner's dam MSW & GSP Quebec (Into Mischief), a $105,000 purchase by breeder Cove Springs at the 2019 Keeneland November Sale, had a colt by Uncle Mo in 2024 and a filly by Constitution in 2025. She was bred back to Independence Hall.
JEROME S., $139,500, Aqueduct, 1-3, 3yo, 1m, 1:38.96, ft.
1–MY WORLD, 123, c, 3, by Essential Quality
1st Dam: Quebec (MSW & GSP, $372,925), by Into Mischief
2nd Dam: Miss Canada, by Distorted Humor
3rd Dam: Waskesiu, by Rahy
($350,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP). O-Robert V. LaPenta & Madaket
Stables LLC; B-Cove Springs, LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox; J-Jaime
Rodriguez. $82,500. Lifetime Record: 4-3-0-0, $217,750.
2–Balboa, 123, c, 3, Not This Time–Tap of War, by War Front.
($875,000 Ylg '24 KEESEP). O-SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing,
Madaket Stables LLC, Bashor, Dianne, Determined Stables,
Golconda Stable, Waves Edge Capital LLC and Donovan,
Catherine; B-Albaugh Family Stables LLC (KY); T-Brittany T.
Russell. $30,000.
3–Enforced Agenda, 123, c, 3, Liam's Map–Heart and Hope, by
Tapit. 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-St. Elias Stable; B-St. Elias Stables,
LLC (KY); T-George Weaver. $18,000.
Margins: 2, 3 3/4, 16 3/4. Odds: 2.62, 0.74, 2.30.
Also Ran: Freedom's Echo. Scratched: Mailata. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
🌎 MY WORLD ($7.24) earns 10 points toward the 🌹 @KentuckyDerby as he takes the $150,000 Jerome Stakes at Aqueduct. The son of @DarleyAmerica's Essential Quality was ridden by Jaime Rodriguez, trained by @bradcoxracing and owned by @RVLaPentaStable and @MadaketStables. pic.twitter.com/pCb9l5VOcV
— FanDuel Racing (@FanDuel_Racing) January 3, 2026
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
