The festive and well-attended evening was made even better for Thomas Dillon, when his horse, Rock Me Baby, won the $120,000 Courageous Lady at Northfield Park.
The Courageous Lady was a series of firsts for Rock Me Baby. It was the first time she had raced for Dillon. He purchased her just two weeks ago for $82,000 at the Harrisburg Sale. It was also Rock Me Baby’s first start for trainer Heidi Rohr and the first time that Tim Tetrick has driven the filly.
Rock Me Baby left off the gate. She initially sat in third, but was sent to the outside approaching the quarter. Once she made the lead about the quarter-pole, Rock Me Baby never experienced an anxious moment the remainder of the mile. She posted fractions of :26.4, :54.4, 1:23 and 1:52.
“We had to go a pretty big first half, but I was able to give her a breather around the turn and she was really strong to the finish,” said driver Tim Tetrick.
The clocking was a stakes record for the Courageous Lady and equaled Northfield Park’s track record for sophomore filly pacers.
“I was happy to get to drive her,” added Tetrick. “When they called me to ask if I would come here (Northfield), I was like absolutely!” “I love traveling around to these big races offered at places like Northfield and being able to compete with nice horses. I’m just glad to be a part of all this.”
Completing the field were Mother Of Art, L A Delight, Yankee Moonshine, Dime A Dance, Bellatricks, Free Show and Time On My Hands.
Rock Me Baby, a daughter of Rock N Roll Heaven-Lover Of Art, now has four wins in 21 lifetime starts. Saturday’s victory increased her career bankroll to $164,228. She returned $5.40 to win.
(Northfield Park)