Centennnial Farms’ Rocketry rallied from from than 12 lengths off the pace to win the 13th running of the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance S. (G2) on the Breeders’ Cup Friday card at Keeneland.
Rocketry improved his lifetime record to 6-5-5 through 26 starts with lifetime earnings of $789,710. The 6-year-old Hard Spun horse was bred in Kentucky by Gainesway Thoroughbreds. He was sold by Hidden Brook Farm for $450,000 at the Keeneland September Yearling sale.
In the race formerly known as the Marathon, Rocketry returned to the winner’s circle for the first time since winning this race in 2018 at Churchill Downs.
Ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. and trained by Jimmy Jerkens, Rocketry covered 1 5/8 miles in 2:42.57.
Dack Janiel’s, Plus Que Parfait and Signalman dueled on the lead for nearly 1 mile in the Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance. The trio cruised along through early fractions of :24.40, :48.52 and 1:13.59. Following a 1-mile time of 1:38.54, Rocketry began his charge at the leaders. Around the far turn, Ortiz positioned Rocketry in ninth and the duo began to storm down the center of the track to win by 1 length.
Rocketry rewarded his backers at 11-1 and returned $25.20, $12.60 and $9.20. Mirinaque (ARG), under Gerardo Corrales, rallied for second and paid $32.60 and $19.80. Dack Janiel’s, with Declan Cannon aboard, held onto third and paid $23.
Danny California, Muralist, Plus Que Parfait, Signalman, Tenfold, You’re to Blame, Job Security, Farmington Road, Cupid’s Claws, Militiaman and Ry’s the Guy completed the order of finish.
“I don’t know (what’s next). We’re going to enjoy this for a while. Centennial (Farms), they’ve been wonderful, loyal owners. We’ve had a bad year; for them to win this race was huge for both of us.” Irad Ortiz Jr. (winning rider): “We broke out of the gates – and he doesn’t have too much speed – so I let him settle. He relaxed so well. By the five-eighths pole, he started picking it up on his own and he was moving really good. When I asked him going by the three-eighths pole, he responded really well. He likes this kind of race, with the long distance, and he ran great. He was picking up a ton of ground in the stretch, so I knew I had a good shot to get there.”
-edited from www.bloodhorse.com
