Printer Friendly Page 

Harlem Rocker posts five-furlong move for Travers

Harlem Rocker's only career loss came on Polytrack (Woodbine Entertainment Group/Michael Burns Photo) Last-out Prince of Wales S. hero HARLEM ROCKER (Macho Uno) posted an impressive workout Sunday morning over Saratoga's fast main track for trainer Todd Pletcher in preparation for Saturday's 139th running of the $1 million Travers S. (G1) sending three-year-olds 1 1/4 miles at the Spa. Harlem Rocker, working in company with stablemate Understatement (Distorted Humor), went five furlongs in :59 3/5. Understatement, a winner from three career starts for WinStar Farm, finished in the same time. "I thought he went really well this morning and he's coming into the Travers in good order," Pletcher said of Harlem Rocker. "We were shooting between 1:00 and 1:01. It was a tick quicker than we wanted to go, but he did it the right way. He did it well and galloped out strongly. He seemed to cool out quickly. "I always work him in company. He has become a very good work horse, which hasn't always been the case. He's gotten better as he has been going along."

The Canadian-bred Harlem Rocker began his racing career on February 14 at Gulfstream Park and extended his unbeaten streak to three races when taking the Withers S. (G3), where he defeated Grade 2 winner J Be K (Silver Deputy), the likely favorite in the seven-furlong King's Bishop S. (G1) on the Travers undercard.

After the Withers, Harlem Rocker had been considered for the Preakness S. (G1). However, Pletcher and owner Stronach Stables opted to bring the gray colt to Canada for the Queen's Plate series and he won the Prince of Wales S. going 1 3/16 miles.

In the Travers, Harlem Rocker, who at this point has won four of five career starts, is likely to run against Belmont S. (G1) shocker DA' TARA (Tiznow); Wood Memorial (G1) winner TALE OF EKATI (Tale of the Cat); Santa Anita Derby (G1) victor COLONEL JOHN (Tiznow); last-out Jim Dandy (G2) hero MACHO AGAIN (Macho Uno); Louisiana Derby winner (G2) and Jim Dandy runner-up PYRO (Pulpit); Swaps S. (G2) king TRES BORRACHOS (Ecton Park); recent Henry Walton S. victor MAMBO IN SEATTLE (Kingmambo); and Henry Walton runner-up YOU AND I FOREVER (A.P. Indy).

"It will be an interesting Travers," Pletcher said. "It is a pretty wide open race. Who knows what would have happened if we went into the Preakness? But I feel we have arrived here in pretty good shape."

Also considered likely for the Travers is the Richard Dutrow-trained ACAI (Three Wonders), who worked five furlongs on Saratoga's main dirt Sunday morning in 1:01.12, according to the NYRA Press Office. The dark bay colt broke his maiden in his sixth career try, and first for Dutrow, before taking an allowance/optional claimer at the Spa by a neck last out.

More Racing Headlines:

Miss Temple City earns hard-fought victory in Matriarch

Annals of Time captures first stakes win in Hollywood Derby

Penn Derby upgraded to Grade 1 for 2017

Miss Temple City headlines Del Mar's closing-day Matriarch

Trio of graded stakes on tap Saturday

Send this article to a friend