When three-year-old male pacer Boston Rocks finished fourth in his career debut last season at Tioga Downs, trainer Mike Deters wasn’t discouraged. He was impressed.
Boston Rocks got away near the rear of the eight-horse field and was 10-1/4 lengths behind the leader at the race’s mid-point, but paced his second half in :55, went three-wide around the last turn and was still gaining ground at the finish as he missed by two lengths.
“I said to myself, oh, he’s good,” recalled Deters. “It was a tremendous effort.”
Boston Rocks has done nothing since that day to alter Deters’ opinion. The homebred colt has hit the board in 16 of 18 career races, winning six and earning $453,060 for owners Rick Berks and Peter Blood. He was a New York Sire Stakes champion at two and this season broke a track record that stood for 12 years at Buffalo Raceway when he won a NYSS division by seven lengths in 1:52.2 with a :27 last quarter.
“He’s got a lot of talent,” said Deters. “I wasn’t around him early; Steve Elliott broke him and did a tremendous job. They said from day one this colt was all boy, that he was the king in the field. I’d say his best attributes are that he’s got a great attitude, he’s very handy and he loves to race. He comes to play every time. You can’t ask for more than that. He’s a really cool little horse.”
On Saturday, Boston Rocks will visit The Meadowlands for the first time when he faces six rivals in a $31,500 USD Open for three-year-olds. Jason Bartlett will be in the sulky. Boston Rocks is one of six Meadowlands Pace-eligible horses in the field, along with Captain Luke, Gem Quality, Mirage Hanover, Nuclear and Remember The Alamo. Gem Quality won last year’s Breeders Crown and Captain Luke captured the Governor’s Cup. Remember The Alamo won the consolation of the North America Cup on June 15 and Nuclear won his 2024 debut in 1:48.4 on June 14.
Eliminations for the Meadowlands Pace will be July 6. The final is July 13.
“If [Boston Rocks] performs the way we think he will, then we’ll be in the following week,” said Deters, referring to the Meadowlands Pace. “That’s why we’re going there on Saturday. It’s a trial run. There are some really nice horses in there. If he can show up, and shows that he belongs, that’s what we’re looking to see.”
Last year on the Grand Circuit, the son of Boston Red Rocks-Scirocco Sarah finished second by a neck in divisions of the Bluegrass and International Stallion stakes (behind Better Is Nice and Newsroom, respectively) and was third in his elimination of the Breeders Crown. In the Crown final, he faced traffic trouble in the stretch and finished sixth.
“If there had been room, he’s third at a minimum,” said Deters. “He had tons of pace.”
The Meadowlands Pace, if he is entered, would be Boston Rocks’ first Grand Circuit appearance this season.
“I’ve never had one in the Pace,” said Deters, who has won more than 1,600 races since the inception of official trainer stats in 1991. “I’d very much like to be there. But if we don’t think he can be highly competitive, we will not be there. We’re not interested in going to be a sideshow. If we can be competitive, we’ll be there. I think we can be, but the proof will be in the pudding on Saturday.”
Saturday’s Big M card is loaded with stakes action: the $152,190 USD Dave Brower Memorial Open Pace, $131,250 USD Crawford Farms Open Trot, $112,500 USD Six Pack for older female trotters, $112,500 USD Perfect Sting for older female pacers and five divisions of the W.N. Reynolds Memorial for three-year-old male and female trotters.
Karl and T C I, ranked 1-2, respectively, in Meadowlands announcer/analyst Ken Warkentin’s Road to the Hambletonian, will compete in separate divisions of the Reynolds. The $1 million USD Hambletonian is Aug. 3 at the Big M.
The Brower features millionaires Allywag Hanover, Charlie May, I Did It Myway and Abuckabett Hanover plus Auger Memorial winner Ruthless Hanover, Mohawk Gold Cup winner Linedrive Hanover and Graduate Series division winner Ken Hanover.
Returning Dan Patch Award winner Its Academic will make his 2024 debut in the Crawford Farms, which also includes Maxie Lee Memorial winner Venerate and 2023 Breeders Crown champion Southwind Tyrion.
Twin B Joe Fresh, coming off victories in the Roses Are Red Stakes and Betsy Ross Invitational, meets Canada’s 2023 Horse of the Year Sylvia Hanover in the Perfect Sting. Twin B Joe Fresh defeated Sylvia Hanover by 1-1/4 lengths in the Roses Are Red on June 15.
Cutler Memorial winner Jiggy Jog S, Armbro Flight winner Call Me Goo and Miss Versatility Series leg winners Tactical Mounds and M Ms Dream highlight the five-horse Six Pack.
Racing begins at 6:20 p.m. (EDT) at The Meadowlands.
(USTA)