by Kimberly French, USTA Web Newsroom Senior Correspondent

Kimberly French

Louisville, KY — Despite it being the first Breeders Crown triumph of his storied career, Peter Blood, a New England and Florida Hall of Famer, as well as a Plainridge Wall of Fame member, recalls only one moment from his 50 years in the business that eclipses Boston Red Rocks’ performance in the $600,000 2-year-old Breeders Crown colt pace.

“Of course Rick (Berks, the colt’s co-owner) and I were thrilled with his win,” he said. “I plan on making a shrine to Boston Red Rocks in my office, but the 1985 President’s Pace at Scarborough Downs was the biggest thrill of my career. It’s where I met Steve Elliott (Boston Red Rock’s trainer), as it was an invitational event which went for $30,000 and he had Rance in that race.

“It was a huge event for us coming from New England and I took Broadway Premier up there. They gave us no shot to win. There was even a big article in the Portland paper about how we didn’t have a prayer, but I drove him three wide down the backside, he passed the leaders by, one of which was world champion Hobo’s Willy, and we stopped the clock in 1:57.4. That doesn’t sound fast now, but it was only two-fifths off the stakes record.

“I remember how my mother was actually there in the winner’s circle with my nephew, as he brought her to the race. It was a very special evening for me and Joe Ricci, who used to run Scarborough Downs and sure knew how to put on an event. The trophy was six feet high and I had to take it apart to bring it back home because it would not fit in my plane.”

USTA/Mark Hall photo

Boston Red Rocks was a 1:51.3 winner in the Breeders Crown.

Although that event holds its own particular place in Blood’s heart, the longtime Florida resident has nothing but accolades to shower upon Boston Red Rocks.

The son of Rocknroll Hanover and the McArdle mare McGibson will attempt to show the world his Crown win at odds of 18-1 was certainly no fluke when he takes on seven rivals in his $20,000 Governor’s Cup elimination on Saturday (Nov. 14) at the Meadowlands. The colt will leave from post three with Tim Tetrick in charge and is the 8-5 morning line favorite. It appears his primary competition will arise from world champion Spider Man Hanover (8-1) on the rail and Big Top Hanover (3-1) from post eight.

“Rick and I thought he would win the Breeders Crown,” Blood said. “We even bet on him. We really liked his qualifier the week before when he was locked in and he’s been battling viruses through most of the year, but he is healthy now. He won in 1:52.2 in his second start and just got beat by a head in the New Jersey Sire Stakes final. He scoped sick after that, but we were even more impressed with him for racing like that. He demonstrated he has the ability to win a race like the Breeders Crown.”

Boston Red Rocks has compiled a record of 7-3-3-1, earned $378,030 and established his swiftest career mile of 1:51.3 with his Crown win.

He is the second foal from his dam, who earned more than $300,000 on the racetrack and is a half-sister to Rudy Rednose (Red River Hanover) p,3,1:52.3 ($378,779) and My Red Hot Mama (Red River Hanover) p,4,1:54.2f ($127,970), in addition to being a full sibling to Old McHeath p,1:54.2h ($157,254).

The colt was purchased for $50,000 at last year’s edition of the Standardbred Horse Sale at Harrisburg from Frederick Hertrich’s consignment.

“I’ve always enjoyed doing business with Mr. Hertrich,” Blood said. “So I asked them to show me something I couldn’t live without and they brought Boston Red Rocks to me. All I could think or say was ‘wow.’ I was looking for a couple Rocknrolls too and I love the McArdle on the bottom side of his dam. It makes him the perfect outcross.

“I train horses for Rick (Berks) and we have been partners on other horses. He is one of the finest human beings in the world, so it was only natural I contacted him about this horse.”

Blood was the trainer of record when Boston Red Rocks first stepped on the track in May to qualify at Pompano Park and was in the bike for his third such contest on June 6, but Elliott received the nod to continue conditioning the colt.

“The only reason I’m not training him or Doo Wop (Hanover) is because I don’t go North anymore,” he said. “I’m 71 years old and although I’m still training for Rick and Lew Whitaker, I did have heart problems last year that were quite serious. I feel much better now, but still want to stay where it’s warm. I think it’s been nine years since I went up there for the winters and there is nothing down here for horses like them.”

Elliott told Blood early on and continued to tell him throughout the year that Boston Red Rocks could be any kind of horse and was better at this stage of his career than Doo Wop Hanover, another son of Rocknroll Hanover with more than $760,000 on his card.

“Steve did keep talking about him and was always very high on this horse,” Blood said. “I didn’t exactly tell him he was wrong, even when he said that about Doo Wop, but I’ve been in this business for a long time. He’s not any better than Doo Wop until he has that kind of money from racing. That’s just how I see things.

“The difference between him and Doo Wop is his mind. This is one wonderful horse. You feed him, he eats and lays down. You train and race him, cool him out and he lays down. Not that Doo Wop is bad, but at times he would only do just enough, the bare minimum, where this is one intelligent animal. He is just so completely fantastic to be around and does everything perfectly.”

Boston Red Rocks is scheduled for two more pari-mutual engagements this season before traveling to Rod Allen’s farm in Florida for a winter break, then returning to training in January or February.

“Rod is an excellent horseman and that’s where he and Doo Wop will spend the next couple months,” Blood said. “They always come back fat and happy with beautiful coats. Rod does a great job with them.

“I’m the one that was responsible for the staking last year and will be again this year. Boston Red Rocks will follow the same schedule Doo Wop did as a 3-year-old with all the major stakes, but I don’t believe in giving them a lot of starts. For example, no more than 10 or so as a 2-year-old. I’m very rigid about that, but I do know more of his starts will be in New Jersey because I support the programs at the Meadowlands, Tioga and Vernon.

“All we can do is go from there and see how the season goes, but I do know I cannot say enough superlatives about Boston Red Rocks. You wish all of them could be like him.”