by Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Ken Weingartner, media relations manager for Harness Racing Communications, spent six weeks in 2007 following foaling activity at Perretti Farms in central New Jersey. On May 12, 2007 he was present for the birth of a pacing colt out of Worldly Beauty, by Rocknroll Hanover (see related articles at bottom of page). Now, the colt is ready to start his racing career as part of the Erv Miller Stable.

Freehold, NJ — World Of Rocknroll is a 10. In this case, though, we are not talking about rating his ability or looks. We’re talking about the post position for his first career race Thursday night at the Meadowlands Racetrack.

Right off the bat, I can complain about a draw. Of course, post 10 now is better than drawing it in a stakes race down the road (if so fortunate). Hopefully, the luck of the draw balances out (which, many owners and trainers will tell you, never seems to be the case).

USTA/Ken Weingartner photo

World Of Rocknroll will make his pari-mutuel debut Thursday at the Meadowlands.

Regardless, World Of Rocknroll will compete in race nine, which is for 2-year-old colts and geldings, non-winners of one extended pari-mutuel race lifetime. Post time is 9:40 p.m. Andy Miller will handle the driving duties, just as he had done in World Of Rocknroll’s two baby races.

“Andy knows him. It’s not going to be a totally new experience for him,” said Tony Alagna, the second trainer for the Erv Miller Stable and one of the horse’s owners. “It will be his first time under the lights, first time with an actual post parade, first time scoring down for that long on the track. But I think he’ll handle it fine.”

Last week, World Of Rocknroll made his first trip to the Meadowlands and won a baby race by 3-3/4 lengths in 1:56.3. He led the field by seven lengths at the top of the stretch, and then got a little confused.

“Andy said he got a little lost when he got away from the horses,” Alagna said. “We’ve spent so much time with him keeping him quiet and keeping his manners, that was the first time he ever got away from a group of horses. When he came around the turn, all he saw was the long straightaway and nothing ahead of him, and he got to running in a little bit.

“We made a couple bridle changes and he’s jogged back good like that.”

Five of World Of Rocknroll’s rivals also will be making their first starts. The horse in post nine is not one of them; he has a start at Harrah’s Chester already under his belt. His name is Star Of The Beach and he is a half-brother to last year’s Horse of the Year, Somebeachsomewhere. The horse in post seven, Joey The Czar, was second in a division of the Goshen Cup on July 2 at the Meadowlands.

“The 10-hole is not where you would like to be, ideally,” Alagna said. “We’re excited about him, but we really want to do the right thing. We race all our 2-year-olds like that. Nobody ever remembers when a horse wins non-winners-of-one, but they’ll remember when he wins the Woodrow Wilson or the Breeders Crown, or whatever.

“It’s his first start, so positive steps are what we want.”

Step one, Thursday.