by Carol Hodes, for the SBOANJ

Manalapan, NJ — Boston Red Rocks, who won both of his preliminary legs, will seek to extend his unbeaten streak to three in the $100,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes championship for pacing colts, the first of four finals for 2-year-olds on Friday (July 17) at the Meadowlands.

The Steve Elliott trainee has been installed as the 3-5 morning line favorite with John Campbell driving from post two in the second race, which has six starters.

“He’s a nice little colt, so far anyway,” Elliott said. “We’ll find out. He does everything right. He’s good-gaited, he’s handy, he’s just a nice colt. Peter Blood broke him, owns him, and sent him to me. He said to see what I could do with him.

“He’s three-for-three with us — a qualifier and two races — and it’s hard not to like that kind,” Elliott added. “He’s not flashy. He’s a good-looking colt, but he just does what he needs to do. He’s still a little green, but so far it’s not hard to like him because he’s done everything right.

“He’s good in his stall. He jumps around and plays, like most colts, but I told Peter after I qualified him that I think he’s better than Doo Wop (Hanover) was at this stage. Peter said I was nuts. Only time will tell, but at this stage he is better than Doo Wop was. He’s more manageable, he’s smarter; he just does everything right.”

In the other divisions, Hollywood Hill, trained and driven by Jimmy Takter, is the slight 3-1 morning line favorite from post eight in the filly trot, the fourth race; David Miller will handle Hollywood Hill for trainer Jonas Czernyson, the 2-1 pick from post four in the colt trot, the seventh race; and Blue Moon Stride at 6-5 and Rock My Girl at 8-5 are early choices in the filly pace, the 11th race. Blue Moon Stride is driven by Andrew McCarthy for Mark Harder from post six while John Campbell handles the Casie Coleman-trained Rock My Girl, post three.

On the pacing side, all of the six colts are by the late Rocknroll Hanover and all but one of the seven fillies are his daughters.

Two colts and two fillies are by Muscles Yankee while his son, Muscle Hill, sired the balance of the trotters in the 10-horse fields.

— quotes courtesy of Ken Weingartner, Harness Racing Communications

Race2 – $100,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes Final – 2yo c&g pace

Allare by Rocknroll Hanover

Race4 — $100,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes Final – 2yo filly trot

SilentBlessings and Energy Bar are by Muscles Yankee; All others by Muscle Hill

Race7 — $100,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes Final – 2yo c&g trot

Sigmundand Waitlifter K are by Muscles Yankee; All others by Muscle Hill

Race11 — $100,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes Final – 2yo filly pace

LLJackpot is by Philos Hanover; All others by Rocknroll Hanover