Lets Get Rocked (Harlem Rocker)

The 134th running of the Kentucky Derby will be forever marred by the tragedy of Eight Belles. It’s a damn shame that things happen the way they do. I’m glad she was euthanized, because she must have been in so much pain. My heart sank in my chest when I saw her laying there on the track. Eight Belles was the bravest horse in the field. I’ll post on the pending Gabriel Saez and PETA situation tomorrow, but on to the point of my article.

Big Brown, the winner of the race will obviously be pointed to the Preakness Stakes. He raced 4-5 wide the whole way, and still won with ease. Many people are questioning whether not the horse can be beat. There isn’t a single horse who ran in the Kentucky Derby who dares to face him in the Preakness. Likely challengers include Behindatthebar, Kentucky Bear, El Gato Malo, and Harlem Rocker among others.

Most of those don’t stand a serious chance against Big Brown. Behindatthebar won the Lexington, but lets face it you can obviously tell he isn’t of the same caliber of horse. Kentucky Bear I think is a great horse, and ran a nice race in the Bluegrass. He could spring the upset, but I’m looking elsewhere for now. El Gato Malo didn’t have the best trip in the Santa Anita Derby but probably isn’t good enough. That brings me to the Todd Pletcher trainee, Harlem Rocker.

Sired by freshman Macho Uno (Holy Bull), Harlem Rocker has three wins from three starts, including a romp in the Grade 3 Withers Stakes. He captured that race in 1:34.50 for one mile on the dirt, and received a Beyer Speed Figure of 106 for the race. His time was faster than Bernardini’s 2006 run. Jockey Eibar Coa tapped him in the stretch and the colt exploded past pace setter and flash in the pan Derby contender J Be K. Harlem Rocker finished the race well within himself.

Eibar Coa on Harlem Rocker: “Every time he runs, he gets better,” said Coa who has been aboard for the three wins. “He’s not 100 percent yet, which is scary because he can be even better than this.” Scary it is, but he may have to do just that to beat Big Brown. If anyone is going to slay the beast that is Big Brown, then Harlem Rock will be the one. Keep an eye out for this super fast son of Macho Uno.