Rock My Universe wins third straight at Big M

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ – Rock My Universe (Walner) is a Meadowlands harness racing lover, and the Mike Simons trained and driven 4-year-old proved that by taking his third straight Big M start Friday night in the featured $17,500 high-end conditioned trot.

The gelded son of Walner-Youlightupmyworld ventured away from the mile oval in last and things did not go very well.

“A friend of mine, Matt Kakaley, drove him last week and [Rock My Universe] had a tough time getting around [the five-eighths-mile track at Pocono Downs],” said Simons. “He said he was hitting his knees. The bigger turns [at The Meadowlands] really made a difference. There weren’t any anxious moments. Tonight, he was pretty good.”

Rock My Universe was kept off the early action, sitting sixth at the quarter as even-money favorite Crown Monarch reached that station in :28.2. Out just after the three-eighths, Rock My Universe raced with cover behind Blue Bayou Deo as Crown Monarch hit the half in :58.2.

After racing gapped off his cover, Rock My Universe stayed in the hunt racing third out of the far turn after Crown Monarch reached three-quarters in 1:27.1, but despite a rated middle half of :58.4, Crown Monarch proved vulnerable as Rock My Universe eased into the three path for the stretch drive and sprinted past the favorite while holding Luke’s Bar, who had been covered up by the eventual winner, off by a neck in 1:55.1. Crown Monarch held third.

ROCK MY UNIVERSE REPLAY

“It was all good,” said Simons. “I just wanted to keep him steady. I tipped him out [down the backstretch] and luckily, I grabbed some cover and it worked out really well for him.

“He tries hard. When I tipped him off cover, he really surged and that’s impressive. That means he’s got a little fight to him.”

After starting his career with one win in 30 tries, Rock My Universe, who paid $23.40 as the 10-1 fourth choice in the betting, is now four-for-34, good for earnings of $67,398 for owners A P Racing and William Masterson.

A LITTLE MORE: Mark Herschberger led the driver colony with three winners on the card. … The 20-cent Survivor Pick-7 paid handsomely once again, as after a sequence that saw winner’s odds of 4-5, 6-5, 2-1, 10-1, 5-1, 2-1 and 5-1, those with six winners on their tickets collected $3,746.54. … All-source handle on the 14-race card totaled $3,055,408. … Racing resumes Saturday at 6:20 p.m.

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

by Dave Little, for The Meadowlands