After having his four-race winning streak barely broken in last month’s Carter H. (G1), Repo Rocks returned to the winner’s circle Friday at Belmont Park with a dominating win in the Westchester S. (G3).
The 5-year-old son of Tapiture is now a five-time stakes winner, with two of those coming in graded stakes, following Friday’s 5 ¼-length romp.
With Expressman setting the early pace, Repo Rocks tracked the leader in second through a half-mile in :45.80. Repo Rocks closed the gap around the turn and emerged with a one-length lead turning for home. He poured it on in the stretch, leaving odds-on favorite reeling in second to finish the one mile in 1:34.96 on a fast track.
“I think we saw the real Repo Rocks today,” trainer Jamie Ness said. “We got a true showing. Everything went right.”
Bred in Virginia out of the Not For Love mare Hawaiian Love by Mrs. C. Oliver Iselin III, Repo Rocks has nine wins in 35 starts with earnings of $795,871 for Double B Racing Stable.
“The (Grade 1) Met Mile (on June 10) is on our horizon,” Ness added. “I think he likes the sweeping turns at Belmont and the mile distance.”
In the past week, Tapiture has had a pair of stakes winners and Kentucky Juvenile S. runner-up Lou’s Legacy. His 2023 totals to date include four stakes winners and eight stakes horses.
