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T J's Rocky: So Far, So Good (07/09/10)Posted Friday July 9, 2010 By Mike Paradise It was only the first start for the two-year-old TJ’s Rocky but you could understand why his driver, trainer and co-owner Mike Cox came away from last Friday’s Enzo The Baker second stake division “ecstatic.” After all, the home-bred juvenile did zip pass the division’s early leader—and overwhelming 1 to 5 favorite—Little Pauli in the lane to post a neck victory in a quick 1:56.4 Maywood Park mile for Cox, who shares ownership of the son of Park Place out of the very successful dam Duo Gingersnap with breeder Judith Bennison of Galva, Illinois. “With that being his very first start I was very impressed with him,” said Mike. “He showed a little grit in the lane.” Cox sent TJ’s Rocky out from the two-slot and made the heavy favorite Little Pauli (p.p.3), already a two-time state-bred stake winner at Balmoral, work to get command, hitting the first quarter pole in 28.1. Nevertheless, driver Art Gregory was able to waltz Little Pauli through middle quarters of 30.1 and 30 flat and most observers thought the race was over. It wasn’t. And Cox didn’t to wait for the Open Stretch to make his move. He pulled TJ’s Rocky out of the pocket in the last turn and the youngster dug in and powered past at 9-1 odds. “The sooner I could get out of the hole the better off it was going to be for me,” explained Mike. “TJ’s Rocky is a long gaited horse and even though he gets around half real good it takes him a few strides to get into high gear,” explained Mike. “He really paced hard and did it right through the wire. If you want to watch the re-match of TJ’s Rocky and Little Pauli you’ll have to get the Maywood about a half hour before the 7:10 scheduled first post. They’ll meet again in the first $7,000 division of the Fox Valley Barzgar stake, designated as a non-wagering event scheduled to go off at 6:45 p.m. TJ’s Rocky and Mike Cox have the pole position in the five horse field and Little Pauli (Art Gregory, Jr.) also drew well with the three. The other Barzgar division will go as the second half of the Daily Double on the regular 14-race Friday card. The second race co-feature has six ICF freshman going postward headed by last week’s other Enzo The Baker winner Fox Valley Libero who landed the outside six-hole for driver Todd Warren. The Nelson Willis trainee is listed as the overwhelming even-money morning line favorite. From the one-slot through the five you’ll find Gonnahavetodomore (programmed at 15-1, John De Long), Fox Valley Renoir (3-1, Marcus Miller), Winchesters Hero (902, Mike Rogers), Laser Beach (6-1, Casey Leonard) and the first-time starter Shaska (15-1, Tom Harmer). Happy Ending: Mike's Price Shots hit with Kickalittle Bootie in the eleventh race Thursday night with a $50.60 payoff for a $2 ticket. Mike's Solid Plays also went three-for-three on the Thursday Maywood card. To view Archived Notes and Quotes click here. County Fair Report The Clark County Fair at Martinsville continued Wednesday with Illini a total of seven two-year-old events contested. The Jerald Viviani Stable’s Make It Rain (Jared Finn) prepped for Sunday’s Vaporize stake at Balmoral with a first over 2:11 victory in the first $1,167 Filly Trot Division on a track listed “good.” Rickie Me Grace made it 3-for-3 on the County Fair Circuit in the second for driver Ronnie Gillespie who also brought home Paris Place in the $2,077 Two-Year-Old Filly Pace with a 2:03.4 mile and Rushing Hero in the second $1,143 freshman colt split with a quick 2:00 clocking, the fastest mile of the 10 on the card. Goya Chief took the first colt division in 2:04.1 with Lamarquis Cheateam in the bike. . . Maywood park’s leading driver Todd Warren came to Martinsville to handle a pair of Pamela Coleman freshman filly trainees and both came up with easy victories. Powerful Position zipped past in 2:03 in the first $11,155 split and stable-mate Powerful Charger followed in the second by 5 ½ lengths in 2:07.2. CLARK COUNTY FAIR at MARTINSVILLE Wednesday, July 7 Results FIRST: Topline, 2-Year-Olds, Trot, Purse $2,500: SECOND: Topline, 2-Year-Olds, Pace, Purse $1,500: THIRD: Topline, 2-Year-Olds, Pace, Purse $1,500: FOURTH: Illini 2-Year-Old Filly Trot, 1st Div, Purse $1,167: FIFTH: Illini 2-Year-Old Filly Trot, 2nd Div, Purse $1,167: SIXTH: Illini 2-Year-Old Colt Trot, 1st Div, Purse $1,155: SEVENTH: Illini 2-Year-Old Colt Trot, 1st Div, Purse $1,155: EIGHTH: Illini, 2-Year-Old Filly Pace, Purse $2,077: NINTH: Illini, 2-Year-Old Colt Pace, 1st Div, Purse $1,143: TENTH: Illini, 2-Year-Old Colt Pace, 2nd Div, Purse $1,143: County Fair Report A five-race card was conducted on the opening program of the Marshall-Putnam County Fair at Henry with a quartet of Northern Illinois Colt Association events for two-year-olds. Both Unsending Love, trained and driven by Freddie Patton Jr. in the $2,258 Colt Division, and Sea Bug, handled by Stephan Halford II for trainer Jamaica Patton, in the $2,178 Filly Division, followed wins at Rushville with triumphs at Henry. Unsending Love was a head better than Mr Creepy in 2:09 on a track listed “good” while Sea Bug nosed out Let’s Go Higher in 2:07 flat. . . The two $1,823 freshman colt trot divisions went to Muscling On (2:09.3) for trainer-driver Jerry Dudzik and Cooper Doll (2:14.4) handled by Tom Busse for trainer William Croegart. MARSHALL-PUTNAM COUNTY at HENRY Wednesday, July 7 Results FIRST: NICA 2-Year-Old Colt Pace, Purse $2,287: SECOND: NICA 2-Year-Old Filly Pace, Purse $2,178: THIRD: NICA 2-Year-Old Trot, 1st Div, Purse $1,823: FOURTH: NICA 2-Year-Old Trot, 2nd Div, Purse $1,823: FIFTH: Non-Winners of $5,000 Lifetime, Pace, Purse $1,000: |
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