Adena Springs announced Aug. 20 that, after recovering from spinal surgery in 2012, 8-year-old homebred Harlem Rocker will not return to stud.
A Canadian classic-winning son of Adena stallion Macho Uno , Harlem Rocker stood his first and only season in 2011 at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds before undergoing surgery for spinal cord compression. He missed the 2012 and 2013 breeding seasons.
Adena Springs representatives told The Blood-Horse that Harlem Rocker is pasture sound and is happily enjoying his retirement at the Adena Springs property near Paris, Ky. The farm said the decision not to relaunch his career as a stallion was made in an effort to avoid the risk of future injury.
Adena Springs also shared an update via their Facebook page.
In his only season at stud, Harlem Rocker covered 18 mares, and from those matings nine live foals have been reported. Three of his progeny have so far gone through the sales ring.
One yearling, an unnamed colt out of the Bright Launch mare Champagne Lass, was sold at the 2013 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga preferred New York-bred yearling sale for $35,000. Consigned by Thorndale Farm, the grey or roan colt was bought by Chapman & Meyer.
Harlem Rocker was bred out of the Lit de Justice mare Freedom Come. During his career, he recorded victories in the Withers Stakes (gr. III) and the Prince of Wales Stakes. While he crossed the wire first in the Hill 'N' Dale Cigar Mile (gr. I), a disqualification placed him second. He retired with a record of 4-2-1 from 12 starts and $597,649 in earnings.