With Kyle Major providing the minor upset of highly regarded sophomore pacer Rock N Roll Heaven on Saturday, trainer Bruce Saunders talks about his only disappointment with the third-place finish after his colt's overland journey in

one of two Berry's Creek eliminations.

One of last season's top two-year-olds, Rock N Roll Heaven got a long look at this year’s competition on Saturday – from the long way around the track. Stuck on the outside throughout all fractions (:27.2, :55.1, 1:23.1, 1:50), Rock N Roll Heaven nonetheless held strong to be third and advance to Saturday’s $225,000 final.

“He’s usually been the recipient of either being up on the front end when he was much the best or following and having nice trips,” said trainer Bruce Saunders. “I went back and looked and he’s never been first over. He might have been briefly and then he cleared – that (race on Saturday) was a tough trip. I was not disappointed in his performance, only disappointed in the outcome.

“The week before (April 24), his first start we put him on the front end, and I wanted to stretch him out because I knew he was going to have pace a lot more on the 1st and 8th of May in the Berry’s elim and final and you can’t, I don’t care how good a horse you have, you can’t qualify if you haven’t gone enough times or raced hard to be fast against good 3-year-olds that have been racing. So we put him on the front end and he won, I was very happy with his performance.

“I really didn’t want to have him on the front end this week. I was hoping to be able to race him from behind and get him qualified, but I had no idea he’d end up being first over. Danny (driver Daniel Dube) thought that if he floated out of there, he’d put a couple live horses in front of him and he did. Unfortunately the live horses lined up 1-2 and he had a couple of 70-1 and 80-1 shots sitting third and fourth, so Daniel moved, there was nobody that was upset with their position, so he would up being first over.”

Despite the trip, Rock N Roll Heaven was in fine form after the race.

“He was full of himself,” Saunders said. “He rarely gets tired, though I will say I think he learned a lot on Saturday. I think that race got his attention. He was tired when he got done racing because of the trip, plus it was about 80 degrees. I think he’ll step way up off that trip, I hope he doesn’t have to endure another one like that. The only downside to not winning of course is now we have to rely on the luck of the draw for post position. Winners select their position and I am sure those guys will be somewhere between the rail and the four hole. I’d be really happy with 3 through 6, even 7, anywhere in there.”

Following is the Berry’s Creek field in alphabetical order, with drivers and trainers from the eliminations listed as well as owners.

1. Cambassador, Ron Pierce, Steve Elliott for owners Jeff Snyder, Robert Unice

2. Europan Union, Andy Miller, Erv Miller for Peter Pan Stables

3. Foreign Officer, George Brennan, Erv Miller for Brittany Farms, John Fielding, Melvin Hartman, John Fodera.

4. Four Starz Trace, Jody Jamieson, Joe Seekman for Sawgrass Farms.

5. Fred And Ginger, Tim Tetrick, Ron Burke for Howard Taylor, Robert Feldman, Edwin Gold, Exquisite Farms.

6. Kyle Major, Jody Jamieson, Monte Gelrod for Robert Hamather.

7. Morgan Shark, Montrell Teague, Joe Seekman for Sawgrass Farms.

8. Pang Shui, Ray Schnittker, Schnittker for Peter Pan Stables.

9. Rock N Roll Heaven, Daniel Dube, Bruce Saunders for Frank Bellino

10. Sharks Legacy, David Miller, Tom Fanning for Joseph Smith

This story courtesy of Harness Racing Communications, a division of the U.S. Trotting Association. For more information, visit ustrotting.com.