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Trainer, colt go extra mile for each other

BY SCOTT FITZGERALD, THE SOUTHERN

Thursday, August 28, 2008 10:35 AM CDT

DU QUOIN - It's not unusual to see trainer Monique Bernardi sleeping at night near her horse, Southern Rocketop.

And it's not unusual to see Bernardi and Rocketop watching a movie together, preferably one of Rocketop's favorites like "The Black Stallion" or "Seabiscuit."

"He's all about watching movies, especially horse movies and cartoons," Bernardi said.

Rocketop does some trotting between watching movies. And this 2-year-old colt can trot.

He is a five-time winner in eight starts this season. At the Illinois State Fair in Springfield earlier this month, the colt owned by Claude Powers of Winchester, Tenn., raced to a record-setting 1:54:1 performance at the fairground's mile-long track. It is a new record for a 2-year-old colt or gelding trotter, according to the United States Trotting Association.

Although he was upset in one of two Darn Safe elimination races on opening night of the Du Quoin State Fair's five harness racing sessions, Rocketop has a chance to redeem himself Saturday in the The Darn Safe Championship race and the winner's share of a $45,000 purse.

"He's a class act. He will let you sit next to him. He's all about affection and love," Bernardi said about her horse.

Bernardi was immediately drawn to the horse the first time they met in April.

"He came off the trailer and he came to me. He started nickering. I told myself, 'He's the one,'" said Bernardi about the instant attraction.

Bernardi became a horse trainer in 2000 after her military career ended. She had served in the Army for 11 years as a military police officer. She was a sergeant first class when she got her discharge, having served in Operation Desert Storm under Gen. Tommy Franks.

"We processed POWs for a year. I had top security clearance to interview them," Bernardi said.

She received a business degree and a minor in criminal justice from Kansas State University while she was with the Army.

But when pressed about what she was going to do with her life by her father, Elipidio Bernardi Jr., a retired engineer with the Ford Motor Co. who also has a horse farm in Carleton, Mich., Bernardi didn't hesitate a moment in answering him. She wanted to work with horses.

She has overcome major hurdles to do what she loves. Bernardi has suffered through two strokes since 2002 because of a blood agent contracted in Desert Storm. She has received chemo and radiation therapy for an inoperable brain tumor.

Rocketop and his accomplishments blaze through any inklings of negativity or dreariness that could descend upon Bernardi.

"Every day is a good day, especially when I wake up in the morning. I tell people this is my time, especially with Rocketop winning," Bernardi said.

scott.fitzgerald@thesouthern.com/351-5076