ROCKHILL NATIVE (Our Native), the oldest surviving champion juvenile and one
of the longest living Eclipse Award winners on record, died Thursday morning at
Sycamore Farm in Versailles, Kentucky, according to a report in the
Blood-Horse. He was 32.
Bred in Kentucky by Dr. E.W. Thomas and Carolaine Farm, Rockhill Native was
owned by Harry Oak, trained by Herb Stevens and ridden throughout his
17-race career by John Oldham. A four-length debut winner at Churchill Downs in
June 1979, Rockhill Native went on to capture the Futurity S. (G1), Sapling S.
(G1), Cowdin S. (G2) and Jefferson Cup S. while placing in both the Champagne S.
(G1) and Tyro S. Rockhill Native was disqualified from a 6 1/2-length victory in
the Hopeful S. (G1) and placed sixth after he was found to have interfered with
a rival.
Rockhill Native became the first gelding ever to be named champion
two-year-old male since polls were first published in 1936. Declan’s Moon, in
2004, is the only other gelding to have won the title.
After mixed success in the winter of 1980 at Hialeah, where he won the
Everglades S. and placed third in the Flamingo S. (G1) and Bahamas S., Rockhill
Native easily captured the Blue Grass S. (G1) at Keeneland by two lengths, a
victory good enough to make him the 2-1 favorite in that year’s Kentucky Derby
(G1). After leading the 1 1/4-mile classic early, Rockhill Native faded to
fifth, six lengths behind the victorious filly Genuine Risk. In what would be
his final start, Rockhill Native took a brief lead before tiring to third behind
eventual champion colt Temperence Hill and Genuine Risk in the Belmont S. (G1).
He was retired after suffering a bowed tendon during the race.
Rockhill Native’s racing career ended with a mark of 17-10-2-3, $465,385.