NEWS
Harlem Rocker on point for Travers
Posted: Sunday, August 03, 2008 3:54 PM
HARLEM ROCKER
Adam Coglianese/NYRA photo
by Phil Janack
Canadian classic winner Harlem Rocker breezed on the main track at Saratoga Race Course Sunday morning in preparation for the $1-million Travers Stakes Presentedby Shadwell Farm (G1) on August 23.
Trained by Todd Pletcher for owner Frank Stronach, Harlem Rocker was timed in 1:00.24 for five furlongs, which ranked second of 41 timed workouts at the distance. He worked in company with graded stakes winner Ravel.
"I had him in [:59.80}," Pletcher said between races on Sunday. "I thought he worked very well. He's become a much more willing work horse.
"He was never one that would do much more than his companymate would do in the mornings early on in his career, even up through his first couple of starts. He's become more and more professional in his training."
Harlem Rocker made his career debut in February and has won four of five starts this year. His only loss was a fourth-place finish on June 1 in the Plate Trial Stakes at Woodbine on the synthetic Polytrack surface.
Bred by Stronach in Canada, Harlem Rocker won the $500,000 Prince of Wales Stakes, the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown, on July 13 in his most recent start. He is unbeaten on conventional dirt tracks, including a victory over three-time graded stakes winner J Be K in the Withers Stakes (G3) at Aqueduct on April 26.
"He beat him convincingly going a mile," Pletcher said. "I think that race, moreso than any, stamped his quality because of all the accomplishments J Be K's had."
The 139th Travers at 1 1/4 miles is the centerpiece of Saratoga's 36-day meet.
"The interesting thing will be the mile and a quarter," Pletcher said. "He's never been that far, but he did run well at a mile and three-sixteenths [in the Prince of Wales] and acted like he had more to give that day. Granted, the Travers will be a lot tougher race than the Prince of Wales."
Ravel was timed in 1:00.64 for five furlongs. The breeze was the four-year-old Fusaichi Pegasus colt’s first workout at Saratoga, where Pletcher hopes to find a race for him before the end of the meet on September 1.
Owned by Michael Tabor and Derrick Smith, Ravel won the Sham Stakes (G3) in February 2007 and was the early favorite for the Santa Anita Derby (G1), but he missed the race with a fracture of the left front cannon bone.
He returned to win an allowance race at Keeneland Race Course in October and has finished fourth in two subsequent starts in the Native Diver Handicap (G3) on December 8 and the San Fernando Stakes (G2) on January 12.
"He went well, also," Pletcher said. "We're hoping to make a race here at the meet."
Phil Janack is a New York-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent
