OUT OF THIS WORLD ‘UNIVERSE’ WINS AGAIN AT BIG M
After finishing an uninspiring ninth in his seasonal debut on Jan. 17, Rock My Universe sported a lifetime record of one win from 30 lifetime starts ...
EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ -- April 4, 2025 -- After finishing an uninspiring ninth in his seasonal debut on Jan. 17, Rock My Universe sported a lifetime record of one win from 30 lifetime starts. Predictably, not much was expected from the 4-year-old gelded son of Walner-Youlightupmyworld in his next outing on Feb. 7, but Rock My Universe pulled off a 15-1 surprise that night.
Something in outer space had changed.
Since his inauspicious start, Rock My Universe has won four of his last six Meadowlands outings, including a victory in the Friday night feature, a $17,500 high-end conditioned trot.
“He loves this track,” said winning trainer-driver Mike Simons of his student, who worked out the right trip to take advantage of his late-closing ways.
Flight Landing, who won two starts back on the front end in 1:54.1, set sail for the lead from the rail in the seven-horse field as 2-1 favorite Supernova Hanover set up shop in the pocket while Rock My Universe raced in the three-hole.
The quarter went in :27.2 followed by a half in :55.2, but nearing three-quarters, Flight Landing started to slow down after he reached three-quarters in 1:25. Supernova Hanover popped out the two-hole late on the far turn as Rock My Universe followed that one’s move and swung three-wide into the stretch.
Rock My Universe then roared past the favorite and did have an anxious moment or two as Soar Higher closed quickly along the inside, but at the wire, it was Rock My Universe a neck in front of Soar Higher with Luke’s Bar a fast-closing third. The final time of 1:53.1 was a lifetime best.
“We got away well, behind the horse we wanted to follow,” said Simons. “He angled out there before the stretch and he did his thing. I heard somebody coming late and I got a little nervous, but my horse dug in. He’s got some guts.”
Rock My Universe now has five wins from 37 lifetime starts, good for earnings of $83,437 for owners A P Racing and William P. Masterson. As the 5-2 second choice, he paid $7.80 to win.
WINNERS, WINNERS EVERYWHERE: It was a nice night for the Big M TV team. Jessica Otten led the way with seven winners, a cold Superfecta and the Early 50-cent Pick-4, while her on-set partner, Dave Little, had six on top, four Exactas, three Trifectas and a Superfecta.
Ken Warkentin selected five winners, and all four members of the team tabbed best bet winners.
Otten had Glittering Hope ($4 to win) in the third race; Little picked Paprike Blue Chip ($3.20) in the 14th; Warkentin gave out The Brodster ($9) in the sixth; and Joe Romanelli had Cactustotheclouds ($2.40) in the eighth.
A LITTLE MORE: Brett Beckwith padded his lead atop The Big M driver standings by guiding four winners on the night. The 22-year-old pilot now has 51 victories on the year. … Despite some predictable outcomes, the 20-cent Survivor Pick-7 returned $828.46. Winner’s odds for the sequence were 1-1, 2-1, 3-2, 5-2, 5-1, 1-5 and 2-5. … All-source betting totaled $2,862,995 on the 14-race program. … Racing resumes Saturday at 6:20 p.m.
