“He’s the horse that brought me back. This horse is it. I know there are good ones all over, but I really do think he’s special.”
After several years of dabbling with Thoroughbreds, trainer Don Swick’s focus has returned to harness racing. And although he is only operating a six-horse stable, the most important number is one.
Rodeo Rock is the one.
Rodeo Rock won his qualifying race in 1:56.4 for driver David Miller.
A two-year-old male pacer, Rodeo Rock was among the winners at qualifiers Monday at Gaitway Farms. Rodeo Rock, making his second qualifying effort of the season, won by 2-1/4 lengths in 1:56.4 for longtime owner Bill Peshina’s Royal Wire Products Inc. The track was rated "good” because of early-morning rain.
Swick got involved with Thoroughbreds in 2010 and last year had three with Peshina, but returned his focus to harness racing at Peshina’s request. The two bought Rodeo Rock, originally named Electronica, for $107,000 at the Lexington Selected Sale.
The colt is a son of Rock N Roll Heaven out of the mare Electric Fool. His mom is a half-sister to millionaire Western Shore and his third dam is Dan Patch Award winner Delinquent Account, the mother of Dan Patch Award winner Artiscape.
“He was just a big, gorgeous looking horse,” Swick said. “We were looking for something a little different. Bill said let’s try a Rock N Roll Heaven this year; try a different state, a different sire. He walked in, and he looked just like this then. He was in good shape and a big, strong colt. He’s been that way ever since. He’s always been a good mannered horse. We’ve had a good time with him so far.”
Although eligible to race in the New York Sire Stakes series, Swick does not plan to race Rodeo Rock on half-mile tracks. The colt is eligible to the Metro Pace, Nassagaweya, and Champlain in Canada, the stakes at Lexington’s Red Mile, and the Breeders Crown.
“This is what Bill wanted to do and this is what we’re going to do,” said Swick, who has trained for Peshina for more than 30 years. “I’m happy. I’m happy as a clam. Royal Wire, they’ve been so good to me. (Bill is) the best guy in the world.”
Tony Alagna and Ron Burke both sent out three winners among the 2-year-olds on Monday.
Burke won with male pacers Lyons Snyder (Well Said-Armbro Cachet), in a day’s best 1:56.2, and JK Will Power (Somebeachsomewhere-Whats New Pussycat) in 1:57.1 as well as male trotter Edinburgh (Andover Hall-Muscles Carbonara) in 2:00.3.
Lyons Snyder was purchased for $130,000 at the Standardbred Horse Sale and is owned by Geoffrey Lyons Mound and Jeff Snyder. The colt is half-brother to millionaire Aracache Hanover.
“He was very good,” Burke said about Lyons Snyder. “He has three lungs. It’s just a matter of keeping his mind together. If he does that, he’s a very good horse.”
Alagna’s winners were female trotter Caprice Hill (Kadabra-Bramasole) in 1:58; male pacer American Passport (American Ideal-Star Of The Show) in 1:58.2; and female pacer Call Me Queen Be (Somebeachsomewhere-Preppy Party Girl) in 1:58.2.
Remaining two-year-old winners were Casie Coleman’s male pacer Tommys Delight (Roll With Joe-L Dees Rainbow) in 1:56.3; Steve Elliott’s female pacer Soulmate Hanover (Well Said-Sayo Hanover) in 1:57.2; Linda Toscano’s female pacer Soft Idea (American Ideal-Walk Softly) in 1:58.4; Andrew Harris’ filly trotter Radiant Beam (Holiday Road-Sleek Agent) in 1:59.4; and Julie Miller’s male trotter Sutton (Donato Hanover-I Wanted Wings) in 2:01.
This story courtesy of Harness Racing Communications, a division of the U.S. Trotting Association. For more information, visit www.ustrotting.com.