Rockport Harbor arrives at Oaklawn Park

Rockport Harbor will begin his Triple Crown bid at Oaklawn (Debra Kral/Horsephotos.com)

Undefeated three-year-old ROCKPORT HARBOR (Unbridled’s Song) was bedded down
in Smarty Jones’ old stall in the Vandlandingham barn at Oaklawn Park at 7 a.m.
(CST) Thursday following a 20-hour van ride from his base at Philadelphia Park.

Trained by John Servis and ridden by Stewart Elliott, Rockport Harbor has
taken a similar path to last year’s Kentucky Derby (G1) winner during the early
stages of his career. The gray colt, owned by Rick Porter’s Fox Hill Farms, won
his first two starts at Philadelphia Park, followed by victories in the Nashua
S. (G3) and Remsen S. (G2) at Aqueduct. In the nine-furlong Remsen, Rockport
Harbor traveled the distance in 1:48 4/5, which was faster than what Smarty Jones ran when he
captured last year’s Arkansas Derby (G2) (1:49 1/5), and the second fastest
Remsen of all time.

Servis’ foreman Bill Foster supervised the colt’s transition from the van to
his stall and said he made the trip without incident.

Rockport Harbor’s arrival means that three major Triple Crown hopefuls are
now on the grounds of the Hot Springs, Arkansas, track.

Hopeful S. (G1) winner AFLEET ALEX (Northern Afleet), runner-up in the
Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1) and a finalist for the Eclipse Award as champion
two-year-old, and Kentucky Jockey Club S. (G2) winner GREATER GOOD (Intidab)
have both been at Oaklawn Park for nearly a month.