Rokeby Rose was bred by Paul Mellon and raced for his Rokeby Stable. In the 1981 Flower Bowl Handicap (gr. IIT), she beat that year's champion turf filly De La Rose. Overall, she won seven of 19 races and earned $250,480. As a broodmare, she was represented by 14 foals, eight of which won. Her dam, Rokeby Venus (by Quadrangle), is a half-sister to Mellon's 1969 Horse of the Year Arts and Letters.Rokeby Rose will be cremated and her remains will be buried at Highclere near the grave of Killaloe, dam of prominent stallion Fappiano.
Rokeby Rose, dam of two-time champion Silverbulletday, was euthanized Feb. 1 at Jeffry Morris' Highclere near Lexington. The 26-year-old daughter of Tom Rolfe was pensioned the last several years.Morris bought Rokeby Rose as agent at the time she was carrying Silverbulletday, paying $42,000 for the mare at the 1995 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November mixed sale. Bred by Highclere and Clear Creek, Silverbulletday was a champion filly at two and three for owner Michael Pegram. The daughter of Silver Deputy won 15 of 23 starts, including the 1998 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I).Rokeby Rose produced earlier stakes winner Kerfoot Corner and stakes-placed Green Garden, plus the dam of grade I winner Forest Secrets. Her last offspring, Good Bye Golden, was foaled in 1999. Rokeby Rose was barren to Silver Deputy in 2000.