Jerkens sends Rocketry, Secretary At War to gate in Hill Prince

Trainer Jimmy Jerkens will send two to the gate in Saturday's Grade 3 Hill Prince, led by Centennial Farm's Rocketry, who is entering off his first graded stakes try where he finished fourth in the Grade 3 Saranac at Saratoga. 

It was the first time the colt finished off the board since placing seventh in his career debut at Gulfstream Park. The colt by Hard Spun broke his maiden three starts later over Belmont's Widener turf, and finished third in his next start before being placed second due to being impeded and bumped in the deep stretch. Rocketry followed up with an allowance victory at Saratoga before advancing to the Saranac.

Joseph Allen's Secretary At War will make his ninth career start on Saturday after closing from last and weaving through the field of seven others to serve as the runner up in the seven furlong Franklin Simpson Stakes at Kentucky Downs. The colts will bookend the field as Secretary At War breaks from the rail, and Rocketry from post 9.

"They're good, they're going to have to run the best they ever did in their life, that's for sure," Jerkens said. "They seem like they're coming up to it the right way, so we'll take a shot." 

Rocketry has been a strong closer throughout all seven attempts thus far and has shown success running at longer distances. Secretary At War has shown to be a bit versatile by running on the front end earlier in his career which helped him wire the field to win the Woodhaven at Aqueduct. For Jerkens, the colt's style leaves both he and jockey Junior Alvarado with a few options come race time.

"He ran good in Kentucky, but the bunch he'll run against is better than what he ran against in Kentucky, plus that was seven furlongs, and it was very soft, so I don't really know how to equate the two," he said. "The race looked like it had a lot of speed horses that were in there, three of four that were coming out of five eighths of a mile races so, you'd figure he'd get outrun, but I didn't really think he'd be that far out of it. As it turned out it was good to see him run that style, it was good to see for the future. I don't know if that makes much sense in this, going a mile and an eighth, but he'll try to split the difference. I don't want him tearing out there too fast, but don't want to be getting him angry taking too much hold of him either." 

Multiple Grade 1 winner Shaman Ghost has returned to the track following his throat surgery in August. The 5-year-old son of Ghostzapper had been recuperating at Belmont Park, and has returned to light work in the morning. 

"He's just starting back," Jerkens said. "We're just trying to get over the hump with him a little bit. It's been a little rough getting going. When horses get stopped cold like that and then you try to bring them back it's a little tough, they're a little body sore, and it takes a while for them to get their stuff together. Hopefully he'll come out of it, and we'll give him every chance to get back. After the first breeze or two we'd be able to figure something out, but it would be stupid to even entertain anything at this time."