Ken Casellas | Photo: PACEPIX
It was feared that the promising career of Jimmy Rocks had come to an end after just three starts when he was involved in a bad accident in a race at Pinjarra on May 1, 2023.
Jimmy Rocks met with severe interference, dislodged his driver Mitch Miller and fell when the odds-on favourite Prince Of Pain, driven by Dylan Egerton-Green, cross-fired and fell on the home bend.
“Jimmy Rocks split his off-side shoulder open,” said the gelding’s trainer Kim Prentice. “It was then feared that he might have to be put down. But the vets stitched him up and saved him.”
He then needed five months of rehabilitation, and he was out of action for six months before returning to racing.
Prentice and Miller were overjoyed when Jimmy Rocks, the $4.30 second favourite, gave a bold frontrunning display to win the $21,000 #Skyracing WA Derby Consolation at Gloucester Park on Friday night.
Driven confidently by Miller, Jimmy Rocks gave his rivals little hope by dashing over the final three 400m sections in 28.8sec., 28.5sec. and 28.4sec. to beat $11 chance Kurious Boy by 8m, rating 1.59.2 over 2536m.
“There’s nothing of him; he’s just a little ripper,” said Prentice. “I loved the way he walked at the APG Perth yearling sale in 2022 and bought him cheaply before syndicating him (to eight stable clients).” He cost $19,000 and now has had 22 starts for three wins, 12 placings and $43,254.
Jimmy Rocks is by Rock N Roll World and is the fourth foal out of Arkndeliver, who was retired after being unplaced at two starts in Queensland as a two-year-old.