Rock it Out and Devan Tharps put in a big effort to grab the win Monday, May 8 at Oak Grove Racing & Gaming. The duo scored the win in 1:51.0 in the upper conditioned pace.
Rock it Out returns to the winner’s circle at Oak Grove to trainer Donna Holt following her first win of 2023 for Devin Tharps.
Rock It Out had a big task ahead of her when she lined up behind the gate. She was facing former Oak Grove Track Record holder Surfer Beach and John MacDonald, who were heavily favored in the event. As expected, Surfer Beach catapulted out of the gate from post one and was on top quickly, leading the way to the quarter in :26.4. Rogers Image and Joey Putnam, another Indiana sired contender in the field, was able to settle into second just after the quarter.
Heading to the half in :54.4, Surfer Beach was still in command, but Rock it Out was just about ready to make her move against the gelding. Heading down the backstretch, Rock it Out moved out and began moving up, biding her time around the final turn before putting together one final kick.
In the stretch, Rock It Out went to work, chasing down Surfer Beach as the two pulled away from the field. Rock it Out had the best momentum at the wire for the win by three-quarters of a length. Rogers Image finished a comfortable third.
Rock it Out was a longshot in the field, paying $30.46 for the win. The six-year-old Rockin Image mare is owned by D and R Racing Stable and trained by Donna Holt. Cornerstone Stock Farm bred the mare, who earned her first win of 2023.
Rock it Out has been a consistent performer her entire career for her connections. She has 24 wins in 82 starts with more than $200,000 in earnings. Her quickest time of 1:49.4 was taken as a five-year-old at Oak Grove. She is the quickest of her family, to date and is a half sister to the JK Endofanera gelding Saddle Up, who is currently racing at Harrah’s Hoosier Park and has a mark of 1:50.1 and more than $200,000 on his card. The family also has a Dancin Yankee two-year-old colt named Fancy Feet that will be on the track soon.
Another Indiana sired contender closed out the Monday card as Era of Love and John MacDonald lived up to their race favorite ranking. The four-year-old daughter of JK Endofanera was parked at the quarter in :27.2 before crossing over to the lead, never looking back. Era of Love fought off opponents at the wire for the win by a neck in 1:55.1. Master Splinter, another Indiana sired mare by Always a Virgin, finished second for Geremy Bobbitt while Brake Ahead and Randy Crisler finished third.
Era of Love is owned by Thestable Era of Love Grp and trained by Eric Patalan. Emerald Highlands Farm bred the mare, who earned her third win of the year after only two starts as a three-year-old. She was unraced at two and is a new acquisition for her current connections.