Rockshaw sizzles winning Gazebo by four lengths
HOT SPRINGS, Ark.- Rockshaw won the $125,000 Gazebo in stakes-record time at Oaklawn Park on Saturday, when he shuttled to a four-length win over Laughingsaintssong in the first of two stakes on the card. Kathballu won the $125,000 Spring Fever over a field that included Grade 2 winner Fantastic Style.
The Gazebo was for 3-year-olds at six furlongs and Rockshaw covered the distance on a fast track in 1:09.27. The previous stakes mark was 1:10.40 set in 2014 by Brewing. The Gazebo had its first running in 2012.
Rockshaw ($6.80) was always prominent Saturday, pushing pacesetter Laughingsaintssong through fractions of 22.31 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 45.25 for the half-mile. Rockshaw overtook Laughingsaintssong in the stretch and pulled clear under Geovanni Franco.
The win was the first in a stakes for Rockshaw, a son of Maclean’s Music trained by Ron Moquett. The horse earned $75,000 for owners Alex and JoAnn Lieblong. Rockshaw entered the Gazebo off a first-level allowance win Jan. 14 at Oaklawn.
Balandeen, who finished third in the Gazebo, went out an additional eighth of a mile past the wire, according to the chart from Equibase.
Kathballu ($12.20) was part of a contested pace in the Spring Fever, racing with 4-5 favorite Fantastic Style and Marquee Miss through fractions of 22.33 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 45.67 for the half-mile. Kathballu held her ground along the rail into the stretch, and past the eighth pole began to inch clear. She covered 5 1/2 furlongs for fillies and mares in 1:04.24.
Kathballu won by three-quarters of a length over Natural Wonder. Fantastic Style was fifth, beaten two lengths by Kathballu.
Channing Hill rode Kathballu for trainer Ken McPeek. The winner earned $75,000 for Five D Thoroughbreds. Kathballu has now won 7 of 24 starts and has career earnings of $404,349. She was winning the third stakes race of her career in the Spring Fever. Kathballu is a daughter of Bluegrass Cat and was bred by Five D Thoroughbreds.