Harlem Rocker (foaled April 25, 2005 in

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

) is a Grade I winning

Canadian Canadians () are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of their being ''C ...

thoroughbred The Thoroughbred is a list of horse breeds, horse breed developed for Thoroughbred racing, horse racing. Although the word ''thoroughbred'' is sometimes used to refer to any breed of purebred horse, it technically refers only to the Thorough ...

racehorse Horse racing is an equestrian performance activity, typically involving two or more horses ridden by jockeys (or sometimes driven without riders) over a set distance for competition. It is one of the most ancient of all sports, as its bas ...

Background

He was owned by Adena Springs Racing Venture, a partnership headed by

Frank Stronach Frank Stronach (born 6 September 1932) is an Austro-Canadian billionaire businessman and politician. He is the founder of Magna International, an international automotive parts company based in Aurora, Ontario, Canada, Granite Real Estate ...

. He was bred by

Adena Springs Adena Springs is a Thoroughbred horse breeding operation owned by Frank Stronach and his family. The main farm is located in Paris, Kentucky, with satellite locations in Florida and Ontario, Canada. Adena Springs has won the Eclipse Award for O ...

at their

Aurora, Ontario Aurora ( 2021 population: 62,057) is a town in central York Region in the Greater Toronto Area, within the Golden Horseshoe of Southern Ontario, Canada. It is located north of the City of Richmond Hill and is partially situated on the Oak Ridge ...

division. He is the son of

Macho Uno Macho Uno (foaled April 24, 1998 in Kentucky) is an American Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse. He was sired by the 1994 American Horse of the Year and National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame, U.S. Racing Hall of Fame inductee, Holy Bull. T ...

who won the

Breeders' Cup Juvenile The Breeders' Cup Juvenile is a Thoroughbred horse race for 2-year-old colts and geldings raced on dirt. It is held annually in late October or early November at a different racetrack in the United States or Canada as part of the Breeders' Cup W ...

in 2000. Harlem Rocker has been ridden exclusively by Jockey

Eibar Coa Eibar Coa Monteverde (born February 15, 1971) is a Venezuelan jockey in American Thoroughbred horse racing. Coa was born and raised in Venezuela. A five-time judo champion in his teens, he attended jockey school from 1989 to 1991 then began his ...

and is trained by

Todd Pletcher Todd Pletcher (born June 26, 1967, in Dallas, Texas) is an American thoroughbred horse trainer. He won the Eclipse Award eight times as Trainer of the Year, four of these in consecutive years. His horses Super Saver (2010) and Always Dreaming ( ...

Racing career

2008: three-year-old season

Harlem Rocker's racing career began at

Gulfstream Park Gulfstream Park is a Thoroughbred racing, Thoroughbred horse race track, casino and outdoor entertainment and shopping destination in Hallandale Beach, Florida, Hallandale Beach, Florida, United States. It is among the most important venues for ...

where, after stumbling out of the gate, he rallied on the front stretch to win his maiden race. He then finished first in an allowance race, also at

Gulfstream The Gulf Stream is a warm Atlantic Ocean current. Gulf Stream or Gulfstream may also refer to: Businesses *Gulf Stream Hotel, an historic hotel in Lake Worth Beach, Florida *Gulfstream Aerospace, manufacturer of private jet aircraft *Gulfstream C ...

, in preparation for a start in the Grade III

Withers Stakes The Withers Stakes is a Listed American Thoroughbred horse race for three years old horses over the distance of miles on the dirt scheduled annually in February at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens, New York. The event currently carries a purse of $2 ...

. Harlem Rocker won the Withers on April 26, 2008, over a field of 3 other horses, including favorite J Be K. There was much speculation that Harlem Rocker would follow the path of Bernardini (2006 Preakness winner) and challenge Big Brown in the 2008

Preakness Stakes The Preakness Stakes is an American thoroughbred horse race held annually on Armed Forces Day, the third Saturday in May at Pimlico Race Course in Baltimore, Maryland (except in 2026 when it will move to Laurel Park (race track), Laurel Park dur ...

. However, owner

decided to direct the colt towards the Queen's Plate, the first of three races that make up the Canadian Triple Crown. Harlem Rocker raced in the Plate Trial at Woodbine Racetrack, a prep race for the Queen's Plate. Going in as the betting favorite, he finished 4th on the synthetic surface known as polytrack. Todd Pletcher and Stronach then decided that Harlem Rocker was not suited to the artificial racing surface and that the Queen's Plate would not be in his best interest. After shipping back to

Belmont Park Belmont Park is a thoroughbred racing, thoroughbred horse racetrack in Elmont, New York, just east of New York City limits best known for hosting the Belmont Stakes, the final leg of the American Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing (United Stat ...

to train with

, Harlem Rocker returned to racing on dirt July 13, finishing first at the $500,000 Prince of Wales Stakes, the second leg of the Canadian Triple Crown. Following his appearance in Canada, Harlem Rocker returned to the United States in August to appear at the 2008 Travers Stakes in Saratoga. Going up against one of the largest fields in recent history (12 horses), he finished 4th, beaten out by a nose for 3rd place by Pyro. He next raced in November in the Cigar Mile at Aqueduct Raceway, the same track where he won the Withers Stakes in April. Harlem Rocker faced a field of nine other horses and battled down the front stretch against

Tale of Ekati Tale of Ekati (foaled March 31, 2005) is a retired Thoroughbred racehorse. Background The brown colt's sire is Tale of the Cat by leading sire Storm Cat. His dam, Silence Beauty (half sister to the champion mare Sky Beauty out of Maplejinksy ...

. Harlem Rocker crossed the wire first in a photo finish but was disqualified to second place due to interference with Tale of Ekati. The stewards deemed that Harlem Rocker's move to the inside rail impacted Tale of Ekati's race. Following the finish of the 2008 racing season, Harlem Rocker experienced abdominal discomfort and was sent for treatment at the Equine Medical Center of Ocala.

Later career

He was scheduled to be returned to training in July, but a respiratory ailment was spotted, and he underwent a "tie-back" surgery, or laryngeal hemiplegia to correct the issue. Harlem Rocker made his return to racing as a 4 year old in November at Churchill Downs where he finished second in an Allowance Race. Harlem Rocker has made his first start as a 5 year old facing

Quality Road Quality Road (foaled March 23, 2006, in Virginia) is a retired American Thoroughbred Horse racing, racehorse and successful sire. Background Quality Road was bred and owned by Edward P. Evans. He was sired by Elusive Quality, who also sired 200 ...

in the Hal's Hope Grade 3 Stakes Race. He finished in 4th place after being bumped at the start.

Race record

Pedigree

{{Pedigree , name = Harlem Rocker , f =

, m = Freedom Come , ff =

Holy Bull Holy Bull (January 24, 1991 – June 7, 2017) was a champion Thoroughbred racehorse. Although he finished a disappointing twelfth in the 1994 Kentucky Derby, his major wins that year in the Florida Derby, Blue Grass Stakes, Metropolitan Handicap ...

, fm = Primal Force , mf =

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, mm = Zee Lady , fff = Great Above , ffm = Sharon Brown , fmf =

Blushing Groom Blushing Groom (8 April 1974 – 6 May 1992) was a French champion Thoroughbred horse racing, racehorse and sire (horse), sire. Background He was bred by American businessman John McNamee Sullivan and was raced by Aga Khan IV, HH Aga Khan IV. A ...

, fmm = Prime Prospect , mff =

El Gran Senor El Gran Senor (21 April 1981 – 18 October 2006) was an United States, American-bred, Irish-trained Thoroughbred horse racing, race horse. Foaled at Windfields Farm (Maryland), he was the best horse of his generation in Europe at both two and t ...

, mfm = Kanmary , mmf = Unreal Zeal , mmm = Try To Be A Lady , ffff = Minnesota Mac , fffm =

Ta Wee Ta Wee (1966–1980) was an American Thoroughbred Hall of Fame race horse. Background Ta Wee was bred at the Tartan Stable of William L. McKnight (chairman of the board of Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co.). (The W. L. McKnight Ha ...

, ffmf = Al Hattab , ffmm = Agathea's Dawn , fmff =

Red God Red God (15 February 1954 – 8 February 1979) was a Thoroughbred race horse foaled in Kentucky who competed in England and the United States but who is best known as the sire of Blushing Groom, who like his sire was a champion miler and who prom ...

, fmfm = Runaway Bride , fmmf = Mr. Prospector , fmmm = Square Generation , mfff =

Northern Dancer Northern Dancer (May 27, 1961 – November 16, 1990) was a Thoroughbred that, in 1964, became the first Canadian-bred horse to win the Kentucky Derby. After being retired from racing, he became one of the most successful Stallion, sires of the 2 ...

, mffm = Sex Appeal , mfmf = Kenmare , mfmm = Djallybrook , mmff = Mr. Prospector , mmfm = Quick Nurse , mmmf =

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, mmmm = Eight Lady }

References

Harlem Rocker's pedigree

Harlem Rocker Training and Race History

Harlem Rocker's website
2005 racehorse births Racehorses bred in Ontario Racehorses trained in the United States Thoroughbred family 2-n