Papis Rocket has a touch of mom in him, which has proved to be a good thing for the three-year-old male pacer.

Out of the mare Real Touch, Papis Rocket has hit the board in 16 of 19 career races, winning six and earning $439,606 as he prepares for his start in Friday’s second of two MGM Grand Messenger Stakes eliminations at MGM Yonkers Raceway. The Messenger, for three-year-old pacers, is the first jewel in the Pacing Triple Crown.

Papis Rocket, a 2024 Pennsylvania Sire Stakes champion and multiple Grand Circuit stakes winner, is Real Touch’s fifth foal to surpass six figures in purses.

“It’s very special,” said Kris Brechler, whose family’s Knox Services Inc. bred Papi’s Rocket with Slaughter Racing Stable and owns the colt with Slaughter Racing, Burke Racing Stable and Weaver Bruscemi Llc. “It’s always nice to see your homebreds do well. Real Touch did it the hard way as a racehorse and she’s definitely been a blessing as a broodmare.”

The Brechler family’s connection with Papis Rocket’s family extends back decades to the colt’s great-granddam, Laags Winterwood, who raced for Brechler’s father, Ronald, in 1993 and then was kept as a broodmare. Real Touch won 11 of 36 races, hit the board an additional 10 times and earned $150,251 on the racetrack. In addition to Papis Rocket, her offspring include Summer Touch, who was an Ohio Sire Stakes champ in 2020.

Papis Rocket, in addition to his PASS title, counted divisions of the Arden Downs Stakes and Kindergarten Classic Series among his triumphs last season. The son of stallion Papi Rob Hanover won the consolation final of the Kindergarten and capped his campaign with a third-place finish from post 10 in the Governor’s Cup at The Meadowlands. Over his last six starts of the season, he posted three victories, a second and a third.

“He’s done well for us,” said Brechler. “One thing about him is that he tries. He will give it his all, all the way through the wire. A lot of that is from [Real Touch]. She was that way; she always came flying on the end of it. She’s passed that on. She’s passed on her heart, her speed, to a lot of her foals.”

Papis Rocket heads to his Messenger elimination with three seconds and a third in four races this year, all in Pennsylvania stakes action. He will start the second elim from post eight, the outermost spot on the gate at Yonkers, with Yannick Gingras driving for trainer Ron Burke. He is 5-1 on the morning line.

“We got the eight-hole, but somebody’s got to draw it,” said Brechler. “We’ll take our chance. He deserves a shot. He’s raced against some of the best in the country and been right there with them.

“I think he’s pretty versatile. He can leave a little bit or he can sit in the hole and then come on the end of it. He’s just a nice horse. We’re very happy with him.”

Thirsty Thursday is the 2-1 morning line favourite in the second Messenger elimination, leaving from post one with Tyler Buter driving for trainer Hunter Oakes. The gelding has made two starts this season, posting a win and a third on the New York Sire Stakes circuit.

Fast Choice is the 3-1 favourite in the first Messenger elimination. The gelding is winless in three starts this season, but heads to the race off a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Pepsi North America Cup this past Saturday. He will leave from post five with Jordan Stratton driving for trainer Jared Bako.

The top four finishers from each elimination will advance to the $200,000 USD Messenger Stakes final, a Grade 2 event, on June 27 at Yonkers.

Racing begins at 6:45 p.m. at Yonkers Raceway. 

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(USTA)