Harness Racing: A Rocknroll Dance retired to stud

Multiple world champion and 2012 Meadowlands Pace winner A Rocknroll Dance has been retired from racing and will begin his stud career in 2014 at Diamond Creek Farm of Pennsylvania, according to Diamond Creek owner Adam Bowden.

A Rocknroll Dance p,2,1:49 1/5; 3,1:48 1/5; 4,1:47 2/5-’13, by Rocknroll Hanover and from a half-sister to supersire Western Hanover, won $2,429,441 and was the first horse in history to take three consecutive sub-1:48 wins. Those scores came this year in an invitational at Pocono (1:47 4/5) and then the elim and final of the $651,000 Canadian Pacing Derby (1:47 3/5-1:47 2/5).

He established world records as a 4-year-old on both five-eighths and half-mile tracks. His 1:49.1 world mark on a half was taken winning the Battle of Lake Erie at Northfield over Foiled Again, and his 1:47 4/5 world mark on a five-eighths came in the invite at Pocono.

In addition, he set the pace for world record miles for Bolt The Duer as a 3-year-old (1:47 4/5 in the Adios final) and Pet Rock as a 4-year-old (1:47 2/5 at Scioto).

He would later defeat all three of those horses in his tour de force, winning the Canadian Pacing Derby at Mohawk in track and Canadian record time.

“I think fans know he was among the fastest of a tremendous group of FFA pacers this year,” Bowden said. “But his speed didn’t develop late…he won the Metro elim and the Governor’s Cup at two in 1:49 1/5 and 1:51, and at three he won the Meadowlands Pace and Battle of the Brandywine in identical times of 1:48 1/5.”

Bowden noted that the horse had evidently suffered an earlier undiagnosed injury, perhaps after his last race in Lexington, which led to a subpar performance in the recent Breeders Crown elim.

Bowden said A Rocknroll Dance is now being syndicated, and that his fee will be announced soon.

-edited release (USTA from Diamond Creek Farm)