Repo Rocks wins the Stymie, his fourth consecutive stakes score (NYRA/Coglianese)
NYRA Press Office
OZONE PARK, N.Y.— Double B Racing Stables’ Repo Rocks garnered a 97 Beyer Speed Figure for his impressive 3 1/4-length score in Saturday’s $125,000 Stymie, a one-turn mile for older horses at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Trained by Jamie Ness and piloted by Andrew Wolfsont, Repo Rocks was boxed in behind rivals in third position before finding a way out late in the turn and bounding away to an impressive score over Grade 1-placed Miles D. Sent to post as the even-money favorite, Repo Rocks carried 124 pounds, giving a six-pound advantage to each of his five rivals.
“It wasn’t the best trip, but in a short field that happens. Fortunately, we overcame it,” said Ness, who would have preferred to set the tempo. “Yesterday, I was worried they might bunch up on him if we took back. Maybe next time there will be a little more speed in the race and we can target a couple horses. Every race is different.”
Repo Rocks returned to his Parx Racing base in good order and is likely to cut back slightly in distance for the seven-furlong Grade 1, $300,000 Carter Handicap presented by NYRA Bets on April 8 at the Big A.
Ness said if Repo Rocks continues to progress, a long-term target would be the Grade 1, $ 1 million Hill ‘n’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap on June 10 at Belmont Park which offers a “Win and You’re In” berth to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile in November at Santa Anita Park.
“All options are on the table, but we’re going to try and focus on New York,” Ness said. “The Carter would be great and the Met Mile if we’re good enough. Right now, that’s what we want to do, but we’ll see how it comes along.”
The 5-year-old Tapiture gelding is undefeated since joining the Ness stable, taking the Let’s Give Thanks in November and Blitzen on January 4 at Parx ahead of an 8 1/2-length score in the seven-furlong Grade 3 Toboggan on January 28 at the Big A that garnered a 111 Beyer Speed Figure. Wolfsont has piloted Repo Rocks throughout the four-race all-stakes win streak.
Repo Rocks posted a record of 11-2-2-2 last year, including a second in the Grade 3 Toboggan and a third in the Grade 3 Tom Fool Handicap, both at the Big A, as well as completing the trifecta in the Grade 2 John A. Nerud at Belmont Park while in the care of trainer Juan Vazquez. He made seven starts for conditioner Gregory DiPrima from April through October before joining Ness.
“He’s as good a horse as I’ve had. Usually, to get a horse like this, I have to get him through the claim box,” Ness said. “I’m just happy to have him and I’m glad he’s a big, fit and sound nice-training horse. Hopefully, he continues that way. We have a nice stable of blue-collar horses, so to get a nice stakes horse like this is special for us”
Bred in Virginia by Mrs. C. Oliver Iselin, III, Repo Rocks improved his record to 33-8-6-6 for purse earnings of $639,621.
Troy Johnson, Charles Lo and Jagger, Inc.’s Yodel E. A. Who closed from last-of-8 and 15 lengths off the pace to finish second, 1 1/2-lengths back of the victorious Eastern Bay in the Grade 3 General George on February 18 at Laurel Park.
The 7-year-old Creative Cause gelding had previously finished fourth in both of Repo Rocks’ recent stakes scores at Parx.
“We considered Repo for that race, too,” Ness said. “But I had Yodel pointed there for awhile and he was doing real good going into the race, so why run two when I can split them up. I’m glad we did and he ran real well. They have a one-turn mile down there next for him.”
