Great minds think alike and when they all concur, their wallets are bound not only to come out of their pockets, but Franklins tend to fly. That is most certainly the case after Rick Berks, Peter Blood and Steve Elliott conferred on where to place defending Dan Patch Award male pacing champion Boston Red Rocks.
“I have been involved in this business for 50 years and Steve has for 40,” Blood said. “Rick has generously contributed to the sport for decades. When we talked, we all agreed to supplement him to this race (Hap Hansen Progress Pace, eliminations on Nov. 21 and final on Nov. 28 at Dover Downs). I have always believed you build a foundation for a horse and then they show you what they want to do. After his race last week he deserves that chance.”
Blood was referring to the lifetime mark of 1:49.3 the son of Rocknroll Hanover-McGibson accrued in a powerful performance in Thursday’s (Nov. 10) $160,200 Matron Stake at Dover Downs. Steered by regular pilot Tim Tetrick, Boston Red Rocks defeated rivals that dominated the headlines this season in Check Six and Racing Hill off a first-over journey by open lengths.
That performance reinforced not only the act of producing a hefty check, but rewarded the faith the horse’s connections had that never waned. After a trip in the $25,000 second leg of the New Jersey Sire Stakes on May 28 at The Meadowlands where Boston Red Rocks was fortunate merely to stay on his feet, he overcame being carried out nine-wide and interfered with to pace an explosive last quarter-mile in :25.2 to just miss the victory in finishing third.
He returned the following week with another brutal foray in the NJSS to finish second to Katies Rocker by a neck in the $100,000 final.
Since those two efforts, Boston Red Rocks was fourth in the $1,000,000 North America Cup final, third in the $500,000 Max Hempt Memorial final, seventh in the $732,050 Meadowlands Pace final and seventh in his Breeders Crown elimination.
The Progress Pace may very well be the forum for the colt to demonstrate why he was a top ranked three-year-old pacer in preliminary rankings this spring.
(with files from USTA)