The countdown to the 2016 Pepsi North America Cup continues, with Trot Magazine profiling the horses predicted to be the top contenders for Canadian harness racing's richest prize.
At 20-1, Katies Rocker makes it back-to-back sons of Rocknroll Hanover, coming at #9 in Trot Magazine's 2016 Pepsi North America Cup Spring Book.
A homebred owned by Fashion Farms, Katies Rocker made 13 starts as a freshman and didn't miss a cheque. The Jim Campbell trainee was victorious six times, counting wins in his Governors Cup Elim, the New Jersey Futurity and divisions of the Bluegrass and the Reynolds. Campbell provided Trot Insider with an update on the $252,505 winner.
Where did he winter?
"At White Birch Farm in New Jersey."
When did you bring him back in to start training?
"He came back in the first of February."
Where are you at with him right now?
"He's just been going a mile and a half and doing some training on the strip. This week we're going to start going to go two trips with him."
Have you noticed any changes from last year to this year?
"He grew and filled out."
Did you feel the horse needed to add much size from two to three?
"He was a decent-sized colt last year but he just kind of filled more into his body this year and plus he grew some."
When will he qualify?
"We'll be qualifying around the first week in May."
What's his early schedule looking like leading up to the Pepsi North America Cup?
"We'll see how he qualifies, probably start out with some [New Jersey] Sire Stakes at The Meadowlands first."
What is he staked to past the North America Cup?
"He's heavily staked pretty much all the way through."
At what point last year did this horse show you North America Cup-level talent?
"We liked him when we baby raced him and even raced him a few times, and then he had a couple of bad races. We gave him a few weeks off and kind of regrouped with him, and he responded and came back really good.
"We liked him all along, he just had a couple of bad races mid-Summer. I was really happy with the way he finished up his year and hopefully he can continue it for this year."
What makes this horse such a great competitor?
"He's good-gaited and he can race in front or behind."