Claude D Powers’ Southern Rocketop, after a couple of disappointing Hawthorne races, cruised to a nine-length victory in Tuesday’s Leg 2 of the Maxter Series, on his way to dramatically lowering the track standard for 2-year-old Colts and Geldings. His 1:57.3 was a full one and three-fifths seconds faster than the old track record that had been in effect since Maxter himself set the record last August.

Driver Brian Carpenter sent this ICF Gelding right to the lead and from that moment on, it wasn’t as much a question of if, but more like ‘how many’.

“We made some equipment changes and it made all the difference in the world,” explained his most ecstatic trainer, Monique Bernardi,

Southern Rocketop can be seen defending his newly-established record on Saturday, Aug 1, during Hawthorne’s Night of Champions.