Meese Rocks, New York-bred stakes winner, dead

Four-time stakes-winning sprinter Meese Rocks, owned by New York’s Terranova Racing Stable, has died at age 6.

A New York-bred Rock and Roll mare, Meese Rocks was euthanized on June 1 because of laminitis, a complication from a hock infection she developed in May. Meese Rocks fought off the infection, according to co-owner Jamie Terranova, who announced the mare’s death at the stable’s blog, www.terranovaracingstable.blogspot.com. But she developed laminitis in the opposite hind leg – a common complication in horses who have shifted weight off of an injured leg. The family agreed to euthanize her on June 1, the day they initially had expected to bring her back to trainer Edward Barker’s barn.

Bred by Robert Misa Jr., Meese Rocks won the 20111 Broadway Stakes and the Iroquois, Union Avenue, and Personal Girl Stakes last year. She finished second in five other stakes, most recently the Correction and Interborough Stakes this season. She earned $443,410 from 9 wins, 9 seconds, and 2 thirds in her 22 lifetime starts. The Terranovas had owned her since May 2009, when they purchased her privately before her third start – and first win – in a 5 1/2-furlong maiden special weight at Saratoga.

Meese Rocks was out of the winning Grindstone broodmare Meeses Pieces and was her dam’s first stakes-winner.