A Group I winning son of champion sire Fastnet Rock, Awesome Rock has been quietly putting together some nice results with his oldest progeny just three year-olds and went very close to posting a stakes double at Belmont on Saturday.
His star filly Searchin’ Roc’s claimed her third Black Type win when proving too tough in the Listed WATC Belmont Oaks (2000m).
Winner of the Group III WATC Champion Fillies Stakes last year and a last start second in the Listed Belmont Guineas, the David Harrison trained Searchin’ Roc’s pulled out all the stops to hold her rivals at bay and win by a neck.
Retained to race by her breeder, Searchin’ Roc’s has won six from 12 starts earning over $670,000 in prizemoney.
Searchin’ Roc’s is the first winner for Still Searchin’, a Trade Fair (GB) mare with little Black Type in her immediate family, but she does trace back through her direct tail female line to Denise’s Joy, who is her sixth dam.
Still Searchin’ was one of 50 mares covered last spring by Awesome Rock.
Awesome Rock nearly had a stakes double with his talented gelding Outspoken Lad finishing a close second in the Listed WATC Aquanita Stakes (2000m) behind the hot favourite Black Fantasy, a son of the late great Blackfriars.
Awesome Rock has had 15 winners from 38 starters and four are stakes horses with Searchin’ Roc’s and Outspoken Lad joined by another stakes-winner Rokanori and stakes-placed Diamond Blue to give him 5.3% SW to runner.
Not bad stats when you consider his first two crops feature a combined 87 foals.
Awesome Rock stands at a fee of $5,500 at Gold Front Thoroughbreds in WA.
