River Rocks staying home for Bold Ruler
ELMONT, N.Y. – After seriously considering supplementing him into one of two Breeders’ Cup races, the connections of River Rocks opted to stay home and run him in Saturday’s Grade 3, $200,000 Bold Ruler Handicap at Belmont Park, where he likely will be favored against five rivals.
River Rocks had won three consecutive races – including two at Saratoga – before finishing a good second in the Grade 2 Kelso Handicap at Belmont on Sept. 27. River Rocks, a speed horse, put away two challengers before being run down late by Vyjack.
“Throughout the race, he never got a breather,” trainer John Terranova said.
The connections of River Rocks would have had to a pay a supplemental fee in addition to entry fees to run in either the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile or Sprint. But with the Dirt Mile being run around two turns and the Breeders’ Cup being held in Southern California, they decided to stay home.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 6 River Rocks. Trainer John Terranova is 22-1-4-4 with a $0.23 ROI over the past two years going route to sprint on dirt at NYRA tracks. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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“We weighed all the options, all the pros and cons, and there wasn’t any downside to staying here and running,” said Terranova, who trains River Rocks for the trio of James Covello, Michael Imperio, and Carmine Inserra. “Going to California, you’re going two turns if you go in the [Dirt] Mile.
“He’s a fresh horse. He’s a lightly raced 4-year-old; he’s only had four races this year. We’re hoping to have him around and have him good and strong for the whole season, and hopefully we can get there next year.”
A good performance by River Rocks on Saturday would earn him a start in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct on Nov. 29, Terranova said.
On Saturday, in the seven-furlong Bold Ruler, River Rocks will face a group that includes Romansh, who won last year’s Discovery Handicap, Cease, Confrontation, Sage Valley, and Joe Tess.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 2 Romansh. Trainer Tom Albertrani is 25-8-6-3 with a $3.66 ROI over the past two years going route to sprint on dirt at NYRA tracks. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan