Rockemperor doesn't disappoint Brown in Bowling Green

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Chad Brown said the way Rockemperor had been training, he’d have been disappointed if he didn’t run his best race of the year in Sunday’s $250,000 Bowling Green at Saratoga. And disappointed he was not, after Rockemperor rallied to a popular half-length decision over the idled Arklow.

Rockemperor, who finished second to Cross Border in the 2021 Bowling Green, had made only two starts in 2022, finishing a distant fifth over a yielding course in the Grade 2 Fort Marcy and a troubled fifth five weeks later in the Grade 1 Manhattan, both at Belmont Park.

With Flavien Prat aboard, Rockemperor was allowed to settle at the rear of the compact, five-horse field during the early stages of the 1 3/8-miles Bowling Green. Rockemperor remained reserved about three lengths off his pacesetting stablemate L’Imperator in the run down the backstretch, fanned widest to commence his bid into the stretch, responded when set down to overtake the leader a sixteenth from the wire, before holding safe the final surge of Arklow.

Rockemperor earned a 101 Beyer Speed Figure in the Bowling Green.

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Arklow, making his first start since finishing fifth behind Rockemperor in the Grade 1 Turf Classic Invitational last October at Belmont, raced last down the backstretch but within easy striking distance throughout. Arklow steadied briefly behind a couple of tiring rivals at the head of the stretch before finishing willingly out near the center of the course to be second-best. Arklow picked up a purse of $50,000 for his second-place finish, pushing his career earnings over the $3 million mark.

L’Imperator succumbed grudgingly after showing the way to midstretch, finishing another half-length behind Arklow. Highland Chief was fourth with defending champ Cross Border finishing fifth and last.

Rockemperor, a 6-year-old son of Holy Roman Emperor, completed the distance over a firm course in 2:15.81 and paid $6.90 as the tepid favorite.

“The key to this horse is getting him on really firm turf, like today,” Brown said. “He got a really good trip today. Very pleased the way it (the trips) worked out. Flavien did a great job. We had a plan and it pretty much went exactly the way we thought, for both horses. Manny (Franco) rode a great race (on L’Imperator). We talked about using him a bit early and then backing it off down the backstretch and he did it beautifully.”

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As for Rockemperor’s next start, Brown said “he’s getting up there in age, but he’s starting to round back into form. I think the key is getting the firmer ground, which may be a little challenging getting into the fall. We’ll keep our options open and see where he takes us.”

Trainer Brad Cox said he was very pleased with Arklow’s performance even in defeat.

“I thought he was ready to run today and this was a great race off the layoff, he doesn’t appear to have lost a step at the age of eight,” Cox said. “I think he makes it very, very interesting if he gets a clean run down the lane, but overall this was a step towards Kentucky Downs and the races he always shows up for.”