Servis Has Another Young Phenom in His Barn

It appears as if Smarty Jones has passed the baton to another young phenom residing in trainer John Servis' barn. His name is Rockport Harbor, and this grand-looking colt can flat-out run, as evidenced by his effortless 7 1/2-length victory in an allowance race at Philadelphia Park Oct. 12, his second brilliant score in as many starts.

Owned by Rick Porter's Fox Hill Farms, Rockport Harbor bears a striking resemblance to his sire, Unbridled's Song, and possesses the same long, fluid stride. Sent off at 1-10 in the five-horse field, Rockport Harbor broke to the inside and was last in the first few strides, as Servis and Porter watched from behind the apron seats. He displayed some greenness, veering out, but jockey Stewart Elliott quickly straightened him out and let him cruise up to the lead. From there on it was pretty much a workout.

After opening a clear lead through fractions of :22.17 and :45.60, the big gray turned for home with a four-length lead. In midstretch, he began to loaf a bit and Elliott gave him a tap on the shoulder to wake him up. He coasted under the wire an easy winner in 1:17.06 for the six and a half furlongs. The following race, 3-year-old allowance horses ran the same distance in 1:18.54 in a photo finish. Rockport Harbor galloped out so strongly, a sixteenth past the wire he was 20 lengths in front and was still going strong turning into the backstretch. He came bouncing back to the winner's circle and barely raised a sweat, looking pretty much as he did before the race.

Servis said after the race, Rockport Harbor's next start will be the one-mile Nashua Stakes (gr. III) at Aqueduct.

Rockport Harbor, who had won his career debut by 8 3/4 lengths, was purchased by Porter at the 2003 Keeneland September yearling sale for $470,000