KingChas
07-08-2004, 12:44 AM
Few to test Rock Hard Ten
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By Steve Andersen
Daily Racing Form
INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- Rock Hard Ten has earned more hype than success in the major 3-year-old stakes this year. He was disqualified from second to third in the Santa Anita Derby in April, missed the Kentucky Derby because of insufficient earnings in graded stakes, ran second to Smarty Jones in the Preakness Stakes, and was fifth in the Belmont Stakes.
Saturday, the competition will be much easier when Rock Hard Ten starts as a strong favorite in the $400,000 Swaps Stakes at Hollywood Park. He will be trying for his first stakes victory in his sixth start, a career that began with a flashy maiden win at Santa Anita in February.
"We have asked a lot of the horse," trainer Jason Orman said.
Run over 1 1/8 miles, the Swaps Stakes may have only four starters. The others are Boomzeeboom, the winner of the Grade 3 Affirmed Handicap on June 19; Capitano, who has been second in four stakes; and Suave, a Kentucky shipper who won the Northern Dancer Stakes at Churchill Downs on June 12.
Orman has yet to settle on a rider for Rock Hard Ten, who is owned by Ernie Moody and Madeleine Paulson. As of Monday, he was holding the mount open in the event that jockey Patrick Valenzuela could get a court stay allowing him to ride while he appeals a steward's ban issued Friday for violating the terms of his conditional license.
"I'm waiting to see if Patrick can get a stay," Orman said. "They seem to think they have a chance."
Orman said that David Flores, Corey Nakatani, or Mike Smith may get the mount if Valenzuela cannot ride. Alex Solis rode Rock Hard Ten in the Belmont Stakes, but he is booked on Capitano.
In the Belmont, Rock Hard Ten finished 12 lengths behind Birdstone. Solis had Rock Hard Ten challenging for the lead on the backstretch, much closer to the front than Rock Hard Ten had been at any point in his career. By the final turn, Rock Hard Ten was out of contention, left in the wake of Birdstone and Smarty Jones.
"Alex didn't know the horse," Orman said. "I think it took him out of his game, especially since he'd only run four times."
Rock Hard Ten's chances were not helped when he threw a fit before the start.
"He got a little excited, but the atmosphere was unbelievable," Orman said of Belmont Stakes Day. "You could feel the energy."
The same will not apply at Hollywood Park on Saturday. The crowd will be smaller, and Rock Hard Ten has had several schooling sessions.
"We've been working with him quite a bit over here," Orman said.
IMHO,
Now we will see if this horse was totally screwed up with the type of race he ran in Belmont.I find him vunerable in Swaps even with 4 horse field.Boomzeeboom could wire.Suave is one tough SOB.Capitano?-----Rock Hard Ten will answer these questions one way or other.
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By Steve Andersen
Daily Racing Form
INGLEWOOD, Calif. -- Rock Hard Ten has earned more hype than success in the major 3-year-old stakes this year. He was disqualified from second to third in the Santa Anita Derby in April, missed the Kentucky Derby because of insufficient earnings in graded stakes, ran second to Smarty Jones in the Preakness Stakes, and was fifth in the Belmont Stakes.
Saturday, the competition will be much easier when Rock Hard Ten starts as a strong favorite in the $400,000 Swaps Stakes at Hollywood Park. He will be trying for his first stakes victory in his sixth start, a career that began with a flashy maiden win at Santa Anita in February.
"We have asked a lot of the horse," trainer Jason Orman said.
Run over 1 1/8 miles, the Swaps Stakes may have only four starters. The others are Boomzeeboom, the winner of the Grade 3 Affirmed Handicap on June 19; Capitano, who has been second in four stakes; and Suave, a Kentucky shipper who won the Northern Dancer Stakes at Churchill Downs on June 12.
Orman has yet to settle on a rider for Rock Hard Ten, who is owned by Ernie Moody and Madeleine Paulson. As of Monday, he was holding the mount open in the event that jockey Patrick Valenzuela could get a court stay allowing him to ride while he appeals a steward's ban issued Friday for violating the terms of his conditional license.
"I'm waiting to see if Patrick can get a stay," Orman said. "They seem to think they have a chance."
Orman said that David Flores, Corey Nakatani, or Mike Smith may get the mount if Valenzuela cannot ride. Alex Solis rode Rock Hard Ten in the Belmont Stakes, but he is booked on Capitano.
In the Belmont, Rock Hard Ten finished 12 lengths behind Birdstone. Solis had Rock Hard Ten challenging for the lead on the backstretch, much closer to the front than Rock Hard Ten had been at any point in his career. By the final turn, Rock Hard Ten was out of contention, left in the wake of Birdstone and Smarty Jones.
"Alex didn't know the horse," Orman said. "I think it took him out of his game, especially since he'd only run four times."
Rock Hard Ten's chances were not helped when he threw a fit before the start.
"He got a little excited, but the atmosphere was unbelievable," Orman said of Belmont Stakes Day. "You could feel the energy."
The same will not apply at Hollywood Park on Saturday. The crowd will be smaller, and Rock Hard Ten has had several schooling sessions.
"We've been working with him quite a bit over here," Orman said.
IMHO,
Now we will see if this horse was totally screwed up with the type of race he ran in Belmont.I find him vunerable in Swaps even with 4 horse field.Boomzeeboom could wire.Suave is one tough SOB.Capitano?-----Rock Hard Ten will answer these questions one way or other.