by John Zimich, publicity director, Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs

Wilkes-Barre, PA — Rock N Roll Heaven, prepping for the 2010 Little Brown Jug next Thursday in Delaware, Ohio, and also getting familiar with the five-eighths-mile oval at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs for the Oct. 9 Breeders Crown, won his qualifying race easily on Thursday morning (Sept. 16) on the front end.

Leaving from the six hole, Daniel Dube and Rock N Roll Heaven took the five-horse field to the opening quarter in :28.2, the half in :57.2, and the three-quarters in 1:23.4, before stopping the timer in 1:51.

“I wanted to stretch him out with two heats coming in the Little Brown Jug,” said trainer Bruce Saunders. “He (Rock N Roll Heaven) was a little nervous getting back to the track. He was pretty much in hand. I’m happy the way he looked on the track with :57.2 to the half and coming home in :53.3.

“I thought he had a little too much energy this morning. He’s never had soundness issues and it should be a great race in Ohio.

“My horse and Ray Schnittker’s One More Laugh pretty much have been the leaders in their division. They won the Cane Pace and beat us by a head in the Meadowlands Pace. We beat him (One More Laugh) in the Battle of the Brandywine at Chester.

“Not much separates these two horses. It usually comes down to who gets the better trip.”

Saunders also brought his prized 2-year-old pacing colt Lookinforadventure to Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs to familiarize the horse for the October 9 Breeders Crown.

Lookinforadventure, like his stablemate Rock N Roll Heaven, also scored a wire-to-wire qualifying victory Thursday morning over the Northeastern Pennsylvania oval. Dube, who will be driving Lookinforadventure in the Breeders Crown, was in the sulky.

“I wanted to bring in the 2-year-old to get familiar with the track and surroundings. I wanted to see how he handles the environment,” offered Saunders.

Lookinforadventure passed the test with flying colors, taking this six-horse field to the quarter in :28.1, the half in :56.3, and the three- quarters in 1:24 before the timer read 1:52.3, just three ticks off the track record for a 2-year-old pacing colt.

“He’s got a big engine,” said Saunders of Lookinforadventure. “He never does anything wrong. I wanted to see how he would go here. This track is so good; all horses take to it.”