It seems nearly implausible that a two-year-old pacing colt could break the 1:50 barrier - not just once, but twice, and doesn't win either start
. But such is the case for Rock N Roll Heaven, the first colt two ever pace two sub-1:50 miles at two and one of the highest rated sophomores for Trot Magazine's Pepsi North America Cup 2010 Spring Book.
Throughout the course of the week, the SC website will countdown to the Spring Book favourite, complete with updates from the trainers on the pacers that Trot staff assessed as the leading contenders for the richest prize in Canadian harness racing. Watch for the full list of Spring Book odds in the April issue of Trot Magazine.
With odds of 8-1, Frank Bellino's Rock N Roll Heaven comes in at #3 in the NA Cup Spring Book Top 10. Trainer Bruce Saunders recently discussed the colt's progress withTrot Insider.
Where did he winter?
I kept him with me in New Jersey, as a matter of fact I kept him with me at Magical Acres and jogged him off and on and then kicked him out in the paddock at my place for a while when I stopped with him. He then had about three or four weeks of turnout time at the farm where I normally do my turnouts in New Jersey. It is a place about ten miles down the road from where I’m based.
When did you start back with him?
I started jogging him around December 15.
Where are you at with him right now?
As of mid-March I’ve been in 1:57 with him. I’d like to go a mile in about 1:55 with him on Thursday [April 1] if the weather is nice and if I can get somebody to whack out a good mile for him. If not I’ll just step him up and he’ll go a mile by himself.
Have you noticed any changes from last year to this year?
Physically he’s more mature and he has more muscle mass in chest and his girth is bigger. I let his hopples out a bit, too. He’s not the biggest horse in the world until about halfway through the stretch and then he gets a lot bigger. One thing I’ve really noticed with him this year is the fact he’s much more tenacious training as opposed to last year. He was happy to do what he was asked to do last year when he trained, but this year he wants to show off.
When will he qualify?
I’ll qualify him on April 8 at the Meadowlands and then again on April 15. I’ll shoot for a mile in 1:54 or 1:55 in the first start and then knock a couple of seconds off in his next qualifier.
What will his early schedule be leading up to the Pepsi NA Cup?
He’ll get one overnight, as long as he doesn’t have to face older horses, and then he has the Berry’s Creek eliminations and hopefully the final. Then he has the New Jersey Sires Stakes first leg, but I’d like to skip the second leg and then prepare for the final if all goes according to plan. Form there he’ll head to Canada for the Burlington Stakes and then the North America Cup. Coming for the Burlington will give him that extra week to get acclimated to his new surroundings. The North America Cup is one of the races we’re really targeting this year.
Previous Top 10 Profiles
4. One More Laugh (12-1)
5. Malicious (15-1)
6. Delmarvalous (18-1)
7. Rockin Image (20-1)
8. Woodstock (22-1)
9. Red Bugler (25-1)
10. Power Of A Moment (26-1)