Team Valor International’s Romagna Mia (GB) went to the front before the eighth pole and drew off to post a 3-length victory over Transient (GB) in the 32^nd running of the $260,025 Rood & Riddle Dowager (G3) for fillies and mares Sunday afternoon. 

Trained by Graham Motion and ridden by John Velazquez, Romagna Mia completed the mile and a half on a firm turf course in 2:29.87. It is the fourth win in the race for Motion and second for Velazquez. 

Motion’s previous victories came with Humaita (GER) in 2004, Kitten’s Point in 2015 and Blame Debbie in 2020. Velazquez, who won his third graded stakes of the Fall Meet, previously won the race in 2017 on Apple Betty (IRE). 

Henrietta Topham led the field through opening fractions of :24.45 and :48.76 with Vergara and Transient in closest pursuit. On the backstretch, Transient closed in on Henrietta Topham and those ran 1-2 to the top of the stretch where Transient took over. 

Transient’s advantage was short lived as Romagna Mia quickly closed in with a four-wide bid and took over before midstretch and pulled away. 

A Group 2 winner last year in Italy, Romagna Mia improved her record to 12-4-2-1 and with Sunday’s check of $151,125 improved her earnings to $363,304. She is a 4-year-old daughter of Mastercraftsman (IRE) out of the Rip Van Winkle (IRE) mare Washington Blue. 

Sent off as the favorite in the field of seven, Romagna Mia returned $6.76, $4.54 and $3.24. Transient returned $4.74 and $3.12 under Tyler Gaffalione and finished a head in front of Loved Reiko, who paid $6.26 to show under Julien Leparoux.

It was another 2½ lengths back to Lovely Princess with Vergara, Henrietta Topham and Personal Best following in order.