Rock Hard Ten

Rock Hard Ten (foaled April 5, 2001, in Kentucky) is an American thoroughbred racehorse and sire. Co-owned and bred by Madeleine Paulson, widow of Allen E. Paulson, the dark bay horse stands over 17 hands. He was sired by Kris S., out of the Mr. Prospector mare Tersa.^[2]

Three-year-old season

Rock Hard Ten was a late bloomer and did not race at age two due to shin splints. At age three, he started late in relation to other three-year-olds. Rock Hard Ten stepped up in class four weeks before the Kentucky Derby in the GI Santa Anita Derby and finished second to Castledale but was disqualified and placed third for interference. Due to the late start in the season and his disqualification, Rock Hard Ten did not have enough graded stakes race earnings to qualify for the Kentucky Derby.

The owners of Rock Hard Ten waited two weeks later until the Preakness Stakes. In that race, the colt faced the top four finishers from the Derby, including the eventual champion and dual classic winner, Smarty Jones. In the 2004 Preakness Stakes, Rock Hard Ten was fractious behind the gate and difficult to load. When the gates opened, he broke alertly and jockey Gary Stevens placed him fourth in a field of ten runners. On Pimlico's club house turn, jockey Mike Smith aboard Derby runner-up Lion Heart floated Smarty Jones out wide and in turn pushed the others horses even further outside. Rock Hard Ten was the most affected, pushed out to the six path on the turn and fading to seventh. Stevens wrestled with Rock Hard Ten, fighting to hold him back and conserve ground. On the second turn, he and Eddington made a charge at the leaders. The two moved up to challenge Lion Heart at the top of the lane. Rock Hard Ten then passed Lion Heart for the place spot, holding on to earn $200,000 as the Preakness runner-up. Smarty Jones won the race by the widest margin in 130 years at 11-1/2 lengths.

Following the Preakness, Rock Hard Ten won the GII Swaps Stakes in July at Hollywood Park and the GI Malibu Stakes in December at Santa Anita Park.

Four-year-old season

At age four, Rock Hard Ten developed physically into one of the largest colts to hit the track in history, standing 17.3 hands. That season, he won the grade two Charles H. Strub Stakes, then one of the biggest prizes for an older horse in the grade one Santa Anita Handicap, and then the grade two Goodwood Breeders' Cup Handicap. He finished his career with an in-the-money percentage of 82%. Out of eleven starts, he won seven, placed once, and came in third once.

Stud record

As of 2012, Rock Hard Ten stood at stud at Lane's End Farm in Versailles, Kentucky for $20,000 live foal.^[3] In November 2012, he was sold to the Korean Racehorse Association and currently stands at Jeju Stud Farm for a private fee.

Pedigree

References