Coach Rocks Rolls Toward Kentucky Oaks

While it may have taken seven starts for Coach Rocks to break her maiden, she's definitely on a roll now.

The 3-year-old filly topped maidens by eight lengths at Gulfstream Park in early February, jumped up and won the March 31 Gulfstream Park Oaks (G2), and now is a player for the May 4 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1).

The daughter of Oxbow  should prove popular with the Louisville natives. She's trained by local icon Dale Romans and owned by Roddy Valente, West Point Thoroughbreds, and RAP Racing, the nom de course for former University of Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino.

While there is plenty of speculation as to whether Coach Pitino will surface at Churchill Downs to watch his filly run, there is little question to Coach Rocks' ability.

Bred by Calumet Farm, Coach Rocks (out of Mexican Moonlight, by El Prado) was a $125,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select sale yearling in 2016 that Romans was able to land the following year for $95,000 from Eddie Woods during the Fasig-Tipton Florida 2-year-olds in training sale.

"She was a big filly, and I had trained her brother (multiple grade 3-placed O'Prado Ole)," Romans said. "They worked her an eighth of a mile. She didn't go as fast as some of them, but I knew she wanted to go two turns."

Romans said he was also a fan of 2013 Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Oxbow.

"Oxbow was one of my favorites when he was running," he said. "I bid on three or four and didn't get them, but it looks like I got the right one."

Coach Rocks made five starts in maiden special weight company at 2, racing at Saratoga Race Course, Kentucky Downs, Keeneland, Churchill, and Gulfstream. Her breakthrough came in her seventh start, her second race of 2018.

"It was just immaturity," Romans said of the filly's early efforts. "She just had to figure out she was as good as we thought she was. We knew she had the talent, it was just a matter of time before the light went on."

When the light went on for Coach Rocks, it also went on for Terry Finley, president of West Point Thoroughbreds. The partnership group purchased 20% of Coach Rocks about two weeks after her maiden score.

"Dale had been talking about this filly all winter," Finley said. "In the winter, I'm at the track or at Palm Meadows Training Center every day, and this filly caught my eye. In her maiden win, she had gotten away with an easy lead (:24.76 and :48.77 going 1 1/16 miles), so there was that one question mark.

"But I had been talking with Dale all winter … having that relationship is one of the good things to have when you have horses with people. You know they won't steer you wrong. You have to be able to cut through the noise. You have to know the people that won't purposely try to sell you a horse they don't believe in.

"Dale has a certain confidence. He's always positive, but I'd rather be with a guy who has that confidence, that has a positive outlook."

The outlook is positive on Coach Rocks since she's been in Romans' Barn 4 at Churchill. She fired a bullet :59 for five furlongs April 21 and went five furlongs in 1:00 1/5 April 27.

West Point also purchased 30% of My Boy Jack, a competitor for the May 5 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1). Partnerships, especially tied to horses in the bigger races, are becoming ultra-competitive.

"It's competitive, no doubt," Finley said. "It's a matter of being in the right place at the right time. You have to strike quickly; you don't have a lot of time. You have to remember you're not getting in on every deal, and if you don't get this one, turn the page and look for the next one. You have to hope you'll have some success with the ones you do get."

He's hoping he has an Oaks winner May 4.