This past Friday night (Oct. 11) at Century Mile, Rockin Mystery captured the $44,500 final of the Marquis for three-year-old pacing fillies in convincing fashion. The daughter of Mystery Chase went to the top early, cut all the speed and cruised home for a two-length win in 1:54.2.
When asked if Rockin Mystery’s two-length win was as easy as it looked, driver Dave Kelly said, “It sure felt like it. I never even asked her. She won well in hand. She’s one of the nicest horses I’ve ever driven. You can drive her with two-fingers. I’ve driven her six times and she’s been ultra-impressive each time. She’ll pace a quarter of a mile in 27 seconds and it feels like she’s going in about 30 (seconds). She’s intelligent that way.”
Rockin Mystery got down to the quarter pole in :28.1. She then rated her second quarter and got to the half in :57.3. Rockin Mystery cranked it up in the third panel and got to the three-quarters indicator in 1:24.4. She then cruised home in :29.3 to seal the victory, which was the 10th stakes leg or final win that she has recorded in just two years of racing.
Rockin Mystery’s victory in the Marquis final was her 11th win from 27 career starts. The triumph increased her overall earnings to $200,515 – and that figure could’ve been much higher. A month ago, Rockin Mystery appeared to have notched another easy victory. She had crossed the finish line by an eased-up length and a quarter in the $125,000 Don Byrne Memorial. Instead, Rockin Mystery was disqualified for starting in front of the starting gate.
“Since the middle of March she’s only been out of the top two twice – once in that disqualification and once when she was sick,” said Rockin Mystery’s trainer, 28-year-old Chris Lancaster, whose stable has been sensational since it began rolling in September of 2018.
Rockin Mystery, pictured cruising home to victory in the Marquis final at Century Mile on October 11, 2019.
Lancaster has a load of praise for Rockin Mystery, who is truly beginning to turn a lot of heads.
“She’s a freak. For being a chubby, little Alberta-bred she can sure move,” Lancaster said. “She shouldn’t be as good as she is. She’s a heavy hitter. A real gritty filly that will take on all comers. She can go to the top or she can come from off the pace. But once she makes the front you have to really work hard to try and get by her.”
Lancaster trains Rockin Mystery for owners Blair Miller and Rod Therres, who bought her at the Alberta Yearling Sale for $16,000. Ironically, Lancaster was the underbidder.
“I went to $15,000 on her for Chris Lambie and myself (Lambie also owns Lady Neigh Neigh, who was moved up to the win in the Don Byrne). There was just something about her that caught my eye. You could just tell that she was going to be a superstar. Rod was her first trainer in BC. Rod gave her to me to train when she came to Alberta this spring for the Alberta-sired stakes races.
“She’s been a great horse to have. It’s been a privilege to have been able to train her here in Alberta,” Lancaster continued. “You know you have a sports car in her. The lines are her gas pedals. You can give her (her) head and she’ll relax. You can shut her down and then start her right back up again. She’ll idle and then when you want to put her back into gear she’ll respond.
“She’s a push-button start. Like I said, she’s a freak. She’s cool, she’s calm and she’s collected.”
Lancaster gives special credit to Rockin Mystery’s groom, Brinsley Brook-Lutz, for the what the filly has been able to accomplish.
“She looks after her. She’s been a great close friend for a long time. This year she needed a job and I hired her. She did a great job all summer. I couldn’t do it without people like Brinsley and my owners.”
(With files from Curtis Stock/thehorses.com)