Rock On Zoomer, under jockey Daniel Aguilar, winning the $5,000 Howard and Charlotte King Memorial Stakes (not black type) at Rillito Park Saturday afternoon.

© Coady Photography

TUCSON, AZ—MARCH 16, 2019—Attempting the 870-yard distance for the first time proved to be no problem for Rock On Zoomer, the gate-to-wire winner of the $5,000 Howard and Charlotte King Memorial Stakes (not black type) at Rillito Park on Sunday afternoon. The final time was 46.194, giving Rock On Zoomer a 92 speed index.

Rock on Zoomer ($5.60) gained an early lead from his post position on the rail and extended it into a nearly 6-length victory in Saturday’s feature. It was the 4-year-old gelding’s fourth win in his last five starts and his first appearance at Rillito, having previously raced in New Mexico, Texas and Louisiana.

Daniel Aguilar was aboard Rock On Zoomer for the first time for trainer Guadalupe Munoz, Jr. The son of Rock Solid Jess is owned by Jessie Meridyth and was bred in Texas by Stanley Nelson, out of the Shazoom mare Ought to Be a Zoomer.

Kiss My Hennessy, one of two Thoroughbreds in the field, edged out Rare Ed in a close finish for second place.

The winning connections of Rock On Zoomer accept the Howard and Charlotte King Memorial Stakes trophy Saturday at Rillito Park. © Coady Photography

Now a 9-year-old, Kiss My Hennessy has lifetime earnings of over $300,000 and has 11 wins and 12 second-place finishes in 48 career starts. In his second career start, he won the Copper Top Thoroughbred Futurity at Sunland in 2012 and won the Rio Grande Senor Futurity at Ruidoso later that summer.

Michael Ybarra had the call on Saturday for trainer Rudy Ybarra and owner Martin Riesgo, Jr. Kiss My Hennessy was bred in New Mexico by Pillar Property Services Inc, by Roll Hennessy Roll and out of the multiple stakes placed mare Dixie Kiss, by Chimes Band.

Completing the trifecta was the post time favorite, Rare Ed.

Rare Ed made his first start of 2019 in Saturday’s feature at Rillito. He was last seen competing in the Snowbound Superstar stakes at Los Alamitos, finishing last after trouble and checking in the race. However, prior to that start, he was second in the Grade 1 AQHA Distance Challenge Championship at Los Al in November.

Kevin Carbajal was aboard Rare Ed for trainer Benito Guillen Vega. Rare Ed is owned by Martin Marin and was bred in Illinois by Ronald Martin, by Dean Miracle and out of the Corona Cartel mare Ms Corona Jet.

Completing the field were Eyes Movin, A Dashin Hombre, Perfect Majestic, Bitaheaven and Nicos First Cartel.