Due to the late start in the season and his disqualification, Rock Hard Ten did not have enough graded stakes race earnings to qualify for the Kentucky Derby.

In that race, the colt faced the top four finishers from the Derby, including the eventual champion and dual classic winner, Smarty Jones.

When the gates opened, he broke alertly and jockey Gary Stevens placed him fourth in a field of ten runners.

Rock Hard Ten then passed Lion Heart for the place spot, holding on to earn $200,000 as the Preakness runner-up.

At age four, Rock Hard Ten developed physically into one of the largest colts to hit the track in history, standing 17.3 hands.

At the time of his death, Rock Hard Ten had sired 330 winners with his offspring earning more than $27 million in purse money.