Rocketry shows love of dirt in Temperence Hill Stakes

ELMONT, N.Y. - Frustrated with how Rocketry was performing on the turf, trainer Jimmy Jerkens wanted to shake things up and try the 4-year-old son of Hard Spun on the dirt.

Jerkens had worked Rocketry on the dirt with some of his better horses and thought the colt was improving over that surface.

“I told Centennial I wanted to give it a go on the dirt,” Jerkens said, referring to the Centennial Farms run by Don Little Jr., which owns Rocketry. “Especially those big sweeping turns on the dirt, he might just really like it.”

In fact, Rocketry loved it.

Last early on under Joel Rosario, Rocketry launched his bid just inside the half-mile pole and sustained his run through the lane to win the $200,000 Temperence Hill Stakes at Belmont Park by 1 1/2 lengths over You’re to Blame.

It was 7 3/4 lengths back to War Story in third. Archanova and G Zap completed the order of finish.

Not only did Rocketry win, but his final time of 2:40.18 for the 1 5/8 miles eclipsed the 98-year-old track record of 2:40.80 set by the legendary Man o’ War in the 1920 Lawrence Realization Stakes.

“It’s kind of sad, that’s for sure - the great Man o’ War - but I don’t think they ran [that distance] four times since Man o’ War ran it,” said Jerkens, who has a tremendous appreciation for the history of the sport.

Jerkens said in his previous turf races, Rocketry would often get stopped. Since he’s such a large horse, it would take time to get him going again and by then it was too late.

“To really give him some freedom on turf you got to lose a lot of ground and you don’t want to do that, either,” Jerkens said.

In the Temperence Hill, Rocketry was last for the first mile, but was within 7 1/2 lengths of the lead.

“He was more on the bridle than he is on the turf,” Jerkens said. “I felt good heading into the backside that he wasn’t pumping on him just to keep him there.”

When he made his move, he gradually gained on War Story, Archanova, and You're to Blame. When he made the front, Rocketry lugged in a little bit, Rosario said.

“He was lugging in turning for home, but I got his attention and then he responded and figured it out,” Rosario said.

Rocketry returned $9.30 as the 7-2 third choice in the field of five.

One race that could make sense for Rocketry is the Grade 2, $200,000 Marathon going 1 3/4-miles on Nov. 2 at Churchill Downs.