Entering off a first-over win in the latter of the two North America Cup eliminations last Saturday, June 11, Boston Red Rocks, instilled as the second choice on the morning line at 3-1, will start from the four hole in the $1-million final on Saturday, June 18, next door to 5-2 morning line favourite Betting Line starting from post three.
“He was okay,” trainer Steve Elliott said of the colt’s effort in the elimination. “He’s not a front-end kind of horse, he’s better at following a horse.”
A son of 2005 North America Cup winner Rocknroll Hanover, Boston Red Rocks is owned by Peter Blood and Rick Berks. He has made four starts this year, winning twice with one second and one third. One of his losses came in the $100,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes (NJSS) final, where he set the pace and was out-sprinted by pocket-sitter Katies Rocker.
“Like I said, my horse is not a front-end horse.”
His lone third-place finish came in the second leg of the NJSS, where he was impeded by breaker Ideal Rocky but regrouped and came a half-length shy of victory with a :25.2 final quarter.
“You look at the race where he was wiped out into the first turn, he’d come a [final] quarter in :25-and-a-piece from behind,” Elliott said. “It shows you he can do it [come from off the pace], and he did it after spotting [the field] eight or 10 lengths.”
Despite his first-over trip in the elimination, Elliott said Boston Red Rocks was in good shape coming out, with no need for any equipment changes or training adjustments coming into the final.
Winning his elimination, Elliott and connections had the opportunity to pick their post.
“[Post four] gives you a lot more choices,” Elliott said. “The rail is a hard spot to get off of [at Mohawk]. The one and the two are at a little bit of a disadvantage. I think [from] the three, four, and five [posts] the driver can pick how he wants to do things.”
Demonstrating his off-the-pace talent towards the end of his two-year-old campaign, Boston Red Rocks swept to victory in the Breeders Crown Two-Year-Old Pace Final last fall at Woodbine Racetrack. Benefiting off a hot pace that night, a similar situation could occur in the North America Cup final.
“I think the trip’s going to win the race,” Elliott said. “I’d love to be sitting on Betting Line’s back. I think he’s the horse to beat and that’s the one you want to be following. [He] came first over going a back half in :52-and-a-piece; that makes everybody sit up and take notice.”
Steve Elliott is aiming for his second 'Cup' victory in his sixth appearance, winning with Well Said in 2009. Driver Tim Tetrick is also going for his third Cup win in his eighth appearance, winning with Captaintreacherous in 2013 and Wakizashi Hanover in 2015. Winning the North America Cup would also push Boston Red Rocks to over $1 million in career earnings.
“There are a lot of good horses here,” Elliott said. “It’s going to be a battle, but we’re in it.”
To view the entries for Saturday's card at Mohawk or a free program for Mohawk’s Saturday card, courtesy of TrackIT, click on one of the following links: Saturday Entries -- Saturday Program Pages.
The Pepsi North America Cup is the centerpiece of Mohawk’s fantastic Saturday card of racing that will also feature the $438,000 final of the Fan Hanover Stakes (which will showcase three-year-old pacing fillies), the $370,000 final of the Roses Are Red (pacing mares), the $267,000 final of the Armbro Flight (trotting mares), the $268,000 final of the Goodtimes Stakes (three-year-old trotting colts), and the $100,000 Mohawk Gold Cup (invitational pacers).
TSN2 will televise the Cup final live on Saturday. First-race post time for Mohawk’s Saturday card of racing is 6:30 p.m. The NA Cup has been slotted as Race 12 on the 15-dash card and has an approximate post time of 10:40 p.m.
Mohawk will offer three Pick-4 wagers Saturday, including an All Stakes Pick-4 with a $100,000 guaranteed pool, comprising Races 9 through 12 and featuring the Roses Are Red, Mohawk Gold Cup, Fan Hanover and Pepsi North America Cup.
(a Trot Insider Exclusive by Ray Cotolo)