Rocketry reeled in Mirinaque in deep stretch to win the G2 Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance Stakes at Keeneland Nov. 6.
It was the second victory in the race for the six-year-old son of Hard Spun. He previously captured the race at Churchill Downs in 2018 when it was contested as the G2 Breeders’ Cup Marathon.
Breaking alertly under jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., Rocketry was settled at the rear of the field through the early stages of the one-mile-and-five-eighths marathon. As the field entered the far turn, Rocketry began closing in on the leaders while racing in the clear on the outside. The dark bay continued to rally in the stretch, overhauling Mirinaque in the shadow of the wire to win by a determined length.
Bred in Kentucky by Gainesway Thoroughbreds Ltd., Rocketry is out of Smart Farming, a winning daughter of Smart Strike. Smart Farming’s dam is the Listed Stakes winner, Health Farm, and she hails from the female family of such standouts as Champion Legarto and Graded Stakes winners Dream About (G2 Mazarine Stakes), Lockout (G2 Connaught Cup) and Deeply Undervalued (G2 Commonwealth Derby).
Rocketry is one of over 80 career Black Type winners for his sire. In addition to Rocketry, Hard Spun is the sire of 2020 standouts Antoinette, winner of the $500,000 Saratoga Oaks Invitational; Black Ops, winner of the Budweiser Special Handicap; Spinoff, winner of Saratoga’s Alydar Stakes and G2-winning four-year-old filly, Hard Not to Love.
Hard Spun will stand the 2021 breeding season at Jonabell Farm in Kentucky for $35,000 stands and nurses.
