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Rocket Can captures the Harlan’s Holiday (Coglianese)
David Joseph/Gulfstream Park
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – It had been nearly two years since Rocket Can last finished on top in a stakes race. But that triumph came at Gulfstream Park in the 2023 Holy Bull Stakes (G3), and his victory Saturday in the $165,000 Harlan’s Holiday (G3) proved he has an affinity for the track.
That could prove a good thing for Frank Fletcher Racing Operations Inc.’s 4-year-old colt, as his next start could come Jan. 25 in Gulfstream’s $3 million Pegasus World Cup (G1).
“I guess we would have to consider it,” said winning trainer Bill Mott after Rocket Can pulled even with frontrunner Tumbarumba at the top of the stretch in the 1 1/16-mile stakes and dug in for a 1 ¼-length victory. “I don’t know if he’s great at nine furlongs, but we would have to consider it because he does like the racetrack.”
Rocket Can was coming out of a dismal ninth-place finish Dec. 1 in the Cherokee Mile at Churchill Downs, a race in which he was beaten 20 lengths. As a result, betters Saturday let him go off at 10-1 odds.
“One of those head scratchers,” Mott said. “He wasn’t good in the gate, got jostled leaving there, and was never a factor. He just jumped up and down, so we brought him down (to Payson Park). He worked good, I said ‘It didn’t take anything out of him (in the Churchill race),’ so we ran him back knowing he won on this racetrack before.”
Rocket Can received a clean trip Saturday under jockey Junior Alvarado, settled within close proximity of early frontrunner Digital Ops, and made his move on the final turn, ranging up alongside Tumbarumba before crossing the wire first in 1:45.01.
“I had a great trip,” Alvarado said. “I thought the horse to follow was (favorite) Tuscan Sky. But he didn’t break well. So, I just tried to give my horse a good trip, a relaxed trip, and give him the best race he could. He showed up today.”
Tumbarumba had to settle for second, 3 ¾ lengths ahead of Steal Sunshine.
“He was feeling very good today,” Alvarado said. “He was on his toes and that’s the kind of way you want to feel going into the race. This horse means a lot to me and the owner has been very supportive of me through the years. It’s always great to win with these kinds of connections. It makes it very extra special.”
Now Mott and the colt’s owners will have some time to make a decision on whether to run the horse in the Pegasus World Cup. The $3 million purse could be too tempting to ignore.
“Maybe we’ll look at it,” Mott said. “You can have a good payday in there, I guess, even if you don’t win.”
