Having a blast with Rocket Deo

Hightstown, NJ — Brian Gordon and Matt Morrison have thought highly of Rocket Deo (Captaintreacherous) since the day she was born, and their admiration for the harness racing pacing mare has only increased over time.

Rocket Deo — a 4-year-old who is competing in the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series at MGM Yonkers Raceway, an event won by her mother, Rocklamation, in 2012 — has captured 11 of 23 career races and earned $513,089 for owners Gordon and Morrison (as Morrison Racing Stables) and John Fielding.

Last season, the Brett Pelling trainee counted the Shady Daisy and divisions of the Glen Garnsey Memorial and Bluegrass Stakes among her triumphs, and she missed by just a nose and a neck in the James M. Lynch Memorial and Matron Stakes, respectively. She won six of seven starts from July 27 to Oct. 6 (the setback coming in the Lynch) as she prepared for the Breeders Crown in late October but saw her hopes there derailed by illness.

“Last year, as good as she did, it was a little disappointing late,” Gordon said. “Brett had her teed up and ready to peak for the Breeders Crown. It was so unfortunate she got sick.

“But she’s been great. She’s the only 4-year-old that Brett brought back. He was really confident she would have a good year. We’re excited for her to race this year.”

Rocket Deo, a daughter of stallion Captaintreacherous bred by Deo Volente Farms and T L P Stable, was purchased for $310,000 at the 2022 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale. Her mother, who won the Blue Chip Matchmaker as a 4-year-old, was a Dan Patch Award winner in 2014 and earned $2.27 million lifetime. Rocket Deo’s full sister Rocknificent was a Breeders Crown champion in 2021 and banked $1.15 million.

“We went to that sale, and she was 100 percent one of the horses we were there to buy,” Gordon said. “We have a close relationship with Mike Gulotta (CEO at Deo Volente Farms), we have mares there, so I watched her grow up since day one. I saw how she was in the field as a weanling, as a yearling, and we loved everything about her.

“Obviously, she looked the part for what she sold for. We were extremely high on her from the start. We’re thrilled.”

In last week’s opening round of the six-week Matchmaker Series at MGM Yonkers Raceway, Rocket Deo finished second behind Silk Cloud A in 1:53 in her first start of the season. On Friday, she will leave from post one in the first of four $50,000 Matchmaker divisions and is the even-money morning-line favorite with Jason Bartlett in the sulky.

“I thought it was a pretty good start,” Morrison said. “She’s still got a lot of room to improve. It’s early, and hopefully she just keeps getting stronger. We’re expecting even bigger and better things from her.”

Added Gordon, “We’re excited for her race. Hopefully, she gets her first win of the year and gets the ball rolling.”

Rocket Deo is one of two 4-year-olds in this week’s second round of the Matchmaker. A 4-year-old has won the series championship three times in the event’s 16-year history: Ginger And Fred in 2010, Rocklamation in 2012, and Somwherovrarainbow in 2014.

“She fits in there pretty good, but there are some good horses in there and you’re going to have to earn it,” Gordon said. “It’s a good starting point and then we can pick our spots throughout the year.”

He added about the mare, “We bought her with the idea of her being one of the top prospects in our breeding operation. We have about 20 broodmares, and we’re excited to have her for the second part of her life after she’s done racing. But we love racing, and it’s fun to be in the big ones with a horse like that.”

In addition to having Rocket Deo in the Blue Chip Matchmaker Series, Morrison Racing sends out Admiral Hill in the MGM Borgata Pacing Series for older male pacers. The 5-year-old son of Sweet Lou-Laura Hill, purchased in November 2023 by Morrison Racing and trained by Per Engblom, competes in Monday’s third of five $50,000 divisions. He is 9-2 on the morning line.

Last week, Admiral Hill finished fourth, beaten by one length, in the event’s opening round.

“I know Admiral needed the start,” Morrison said. “We’re happy with both (Admiral Hill and Rocket Deo). If you look at their race lines, we kind of opted to protect them and let them grow as racehorses. I think they’re both going to come into their own, hopefully, this year.”

In 2024, Admiral Hill won 12 of 18 races and earned $359,470 while competing primarily against 4-year-olds on the Kentucky circuit. He was a KYSS champion and set track records at Oak Grove and Cumberland Run.

“We’re excited about him,” Morrison said. “He kind of has that attitude that you’re really going to have to beat me to beat me. He just digs in and gives it his all every time out. He has a lot of heart.”

Racing begins at 6:45 p.m. (EDT) at Yonkers. For free daily TrackMaster Platinum past performances, visit the Standardbred Owners Association of New York website click here.

For complete race entries, click here: US Trotting entries.

by Ken Weingartner, for the USTA