from Meadowlands Media Relations
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – June 17, 2004 — Rocky Balboa, purchased two weeks ago for $450,000, won his season’s debut in the first race, the first of three $25,000 New Jersey Sire Stakes, on Thursday night at the Meadowlands.
The much-anticipated season’s debut of unbeaten Cantab Hall, the 2003 Trotter of the Year, was delayed when he was scratched sick from the third race, the second New Jersey Sire Stakes division.
“I didn’t like the racetrack and didn’t want to take a chance,” said Ron Gurfein, the trainer of Cantab Hall. “He might have had a touch of a temperature. His first start will most likely be Historic Week [June 29-July 3 at the Meadowlands]. He’s 100 percent sound and right on schedule.” Cantab Hall won all 10 of his starts at two, earning $461,337.
Braving heavy rain and a sloppy surface, Rocky Balboa [$16.20, $9.20, $6.00], driven by George Brennan, moved first-over on the backstretch and caught the pacesetter Armbro Barrister with an eighth of a mile to go, drawing off to win the first race by two lengths. It was a lifetime best of 1:55.1 for the mile.
Longshot Affaro Hanover [$33.80, $19.60] finished second, and it was two and three-quarter lengths to The Mighty Mr K [$5.60] in third.
“I sat in with him early,” said George Brennan, the driver of Rocky Balboa. “I felt him tighten up past the half. I put him out in the middle of the track and let him trot. He finished real strong.
That’s a big mile out there tonight; the track’s not very good.”
Rocky Balboa, a son of Muscles Yankee, had finished in the money in six of eight starts at two. The Hambletonian hopeful, a one-time $50,000 yearling, was sold by trainer Chuck Sylvester and Neal Goldman of Washington Township, New Jersey, to the Rojan Stables [Bob and Buddy Aerenson of Wilmington, Delaware] and Doc & Me Inc. [Wendy Crissman and Dr. Jack Wilkes] of Camden, Delaware, for $450,000.
“He trained down well all winter,” said Troy Sylvester, assistant to his father, Chuck, who is still training the colt. “This is my Hambletonian horse. He’s in the kind of form where even though I didn’t like the track, I thought he’d be one-two in here. I’m not sure if he’ll make the final [of the New Jersey Sire Stakes]; he only raced in this third leg. If not we’ll go in the Historic and then the Stanley Dancer Trot.”
In the second division, the third race, John Campbell guided Il Pirata to victory in 1:55.1. Bar Exam was second across the wire but disqualified for interference in the stretch and placed eighth.
In the third division, the fifth race, Show Me The Monet, driven by David Miller, held off Hurri Kane Billy G in 1:55.