At odds of 23-1, Rocklamation lowered the Milton Stakes record to 1:49.4 in the $384,000 final for open pacing mares on Saturday night at Mohawk Racetrack.
With driver Brett Miller in the bike, the four-year-old mare also became one of harness racing’s newest millionaires. With the lion’s share of the purse, the daughter of Rocknroll Hanover-Art Sale now boasts lifetime earnings of $1,051,982.
The Ron Burke-trained Rocklamation got away seventh, well behind a :25.4 first quarter carved out by elimination winner Anndrovette (Luc Ouellette). As they entered the backstretch, Yannick Gingras moved the other elimination winner, Drop The Ball, to the front from third, reaching the half in :53.3.
Around the final turn, Put On A Show (Jody Jamieson) applied first over pressure to the even-money pacesetter, forcing a 1:21.2 three-quarter split. Waasmula (Randy Waples) caught a second-over trip, with Rocklamation third-over and set to vault off cover.
The mares fanned out across the track as they entered the stretch. Unleashing a :27.3 final frame, Rocklamation got up in the final strides and held off a late rush by Swinging Beauty (Doug McNair) to score by a neck in a new lifetime mark. Ginger And Fred (Scott Zeron) got up for third.
“Last week Ronnie Burke told me this mare is way better from off-the-pace and I left with her,” said Miller from the winner’s circle. “She raced good [in her elimination finishing third], but [for the final] he said, ‘Brett, just duck her. I promise you she’ll come flying on the end of it.’ The fast fractions helped.
“They were going such fast fractions, they were bound to get tired and we were lucky enough to pick up the pieces,” he added.
Rocklamation lowered the stakes record by one-fifth of a second. Eternal Camnation (2003) and Loyal Opposition (2005) co-held the previous record of 1:50.
With the win, Rocklamation notched her sixth triumph of the season from 21 starts. The 12-time career winner is owned by Our Horse Cents Stables, Stable 45 and Jerry Silva.
The mare returned $48.50 to win.
Older pacers also competed during the Saturday night card in a $38,000 Preferred event, which saw Frank Bellino’s Classic Rock Nroll match his lifetime mark of 1:50.1 while notching his 15th career win. Driven by Doug McNair for three-time Saturday night winning trainer Tony O’Sullivan, the popular five-year-old son of Rocknroll Hanover rallied home off cover to prevail by half a length over Fred And Ginger (Brett Miller) and St Elmo Hero (Scott Zeron). The favourite paid $4.80 to win.
McNair also picked up a victory in Ontario Sires Stakes action at the Campbellville, Ont. oval. For recaps of the $130,000 OSS Gold Final for sophomore pacers and a pair of eliminations for the freshmen, click here.
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Mohawk Racetrack.
(With files from WEG)