Remembering Rocky

In what will be my final post of 2013, I thought that this would be a good time to reflect on those we lost this year. Among the biggest names horse wise we lost where Storm Cat, Unbridled's Song, and Harlan's Holiday. Two legendary stallions and one who looked like he was a possible candidate for joining them. Racing wise it was a rough one, Dullahan and Take Control, a brother and son of big name horses passed away. Of course Monzante's fall from grace ended with his breakdown in Louisiana. Saginaw and Secret Compass where also euthanized after breaking down. Last week it was the shock that Belmont winner Summer Bird was gone from colic and today it was announced Silver Train who handed Lost in the Fog his first loss in the BC Sprint passed away from the same.

However, for me the biggest loss was a son of Unbridled's Song who was just coming into his own as a stallion. If it weren't for him, I believe that this blog or the predecessor might not have existed to the extent that it does. More importantly though, if it weren't for him, I wouldn't be on social media as much as I have been since 2004. Of course, I'm talking about Rockport Harbor.

Rocky had started his career on the tail of Smarty Jones. Trained by John Servis who also trained Smarty, he was owned by Rick Porter's Fox Hill Farm. Like 04 Derby and Preakness winner, Rocky began his career at Philadelphia Park with two wins. Since he was foaled in KY, he couldn't run in the PA Nursery, so he went to Aqueduct where he won the Nashua and Remsen. In the latter race, he was stepped on by Pavo and thus re-writing his career. After finishing second in the Rebel (where the last place finisher was Afleet Alex), he went to Keeneland where he finished second to last in the Lexington as a last ditch effort to make the Derby after a blood clot kept him out of the AR Derby (which Alex won). Rocky didn't appear again until his 4yo season where he won the Essex and 5th in the Razorback. The foot had become too much of a problem and he was sent to Darley's Jonabell Farm for stud. In 2008, he was joined by fellow FHF horse Derby and Classic runner up Hard Spun.

He started off well with a G3 winners in May Day Rose, Pataky Kid and Bryan's Jewel (who this year won the DelCap prep Obeah). Darley however, thought that it might be best if he go to the state where he had won his first two races. Thus he was sent to Pin Oak Lane in New Freedom, PA. With fellow Darley stallion Offlee Wild and former Three Chimneys stallion Albert the Great. Sadly in July of this year, he was euthanized after complications from laminitis. Rockport Harbor was 11 years old at the time of his death.

Here is my favorite race of his, the Remsen:



Following his death Rocky's daughter Ria Antonia finished second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. However, she was elevated to first via disqualification thus becoming her sire's first G1 winner. Shortly afterwards his son Rise Up won the Delta Jackpot which outside of the Juvenile, is richest race for 2yo's in the US. Rocky will have a small final crop foaled in 2014, but I hope they have just as much heart and talent as their papa did.

We'll miss you Rocky, and thank you.

Stallion on the Rise: Rockport Harbor

In 2006 the two most exciting stallion prospects who where entering stud for the 2007 season where 3yo Champion Male Bernardini and multiple G1 winning sprinter Henny Hughes. What if I told you that by September that Bernardini would have a Group 3 winner in Europe (on turf, Dini never ran on the grass), a G1 placed colt and G3 placed filly. Obviously you wouldn't be suprised. However what if I told you Henny Hughes, stakes winner at 2 and 3 has yet to have a foal in a stakes race? Considering he was an early devoloper, one would think he would pass that on. And yet niether Bernarndini or Henny Hughes are in the Top 10 for First Crop Stallions as of September 13, 2010. However, a Darley stallion is and he was never owned by a member of the Maktoum family during his racing career. He is G2 winner Rockport Harbor and is the first installment of a new feature I'm calling Stallion on the Rise.

Rockport Harbor, affectionally nicknamed Rocky is by Unbridled's Song out of the Copelan mare Regal Miss Copelan. Rocky won the Nashua Stakes before winning the G2 Remsen over the highley regarded Galloping Grocer. That win would cap an undefeated season for him, his trainer John Servis and Jockey Stewart Elliot, both of which where the darlings of horse racing earlier that year with Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Smarty Jones.



Rocky would start his 3yo season in Arkansas following the same path that Smarty took the year before (abiet no Count Fleet). His first race of the year would be the Rebel Stakes which Smarty had taken the year before. He would finish second behind Greater Good and in front of future Preakness and Belmont hero Afleet Alex (who in defence was suffering from a lung infection and was without his regular rider for his only off the board finish of his career). Sadly, that would be his best race for a year. At the begining of the Remsen, Pavo who would finish last would accidently step on Rocky. He would have trouble with this injury for the rest of his career. When the injury reopened which forced him to miss the Arkansas Derby. He went to the Lexington Stakes where he finished off the board as the favorite. With that he skipped the Triple Crown that year and was eventually forced to the sidelines for the rest of the year.

His comeback race was at Oaklawn where he won the Essex Handicap over Greater Good who had defeated him the year before, and Jonesboro, a son of Filly Triple Crown winner Mom's Command (both of those horses finished off the board). That would be Rocky's final win as in his next start the Razorback Handicap he would finish 5th behind future G1 winner Purim. Unfortanlly that would be his final start of his career as the injury he would receieve as a 2yo had caught up to him. Rockport Harbor would enter stud at Darley at Jonabelle in Kentucky.

With his oldest foals now two, Rocky has a G3 placed foal named Minutesandtouches and a stakes winner Bear's Future (who looks like he's a promising horse), as of Sept. 13, he was ranked #6 on the Freshman Stallion list ahead of the formentioned Bernardini and Henny Hughes.
My introduction to the online community of horse racing was thanks to Rocky as well. After he won the Remsen, Rick Porter (owner of Fox Hill Farm) decided to start the Rockport Harbor forum. That started a natrual progression from forums to multiple tries to get a horse racing blog started until the right fit (which turned out to be TB Chat). Hopefully Rocky continues to do well at stud.

The Stallion on the Rise feature will be posted once every other week. These will be of stallion (not always Freshman) who maybe under appricated. I hope that you enjoy this feature!