The speedy 'TDN Rising Star' Frank's Rockette stalked and pounced her way to a second straight graded tally.
Frank's Rockette broke on top, but settled off the pace of Hello Beautiful (Golden Lad) as Reagan's Edge was well-placed in third. The 3-2 favorite took over under a hold before reaching the quarter pole, kicked clear from there and reported home as a much-the-best winner.
“I think we made the right choice [to run in the Prioress],” winning Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said. “The filly that ran in the Oaks yesterday [Gamine] was very tough in the Test and the extra time helped our filly. She looks good. She looks like she gained some weight and the distance of this race at six furlongs suits us very well. I'm pleased she showed up and ran fast.”
Mott continued, “I thought we might be on the lead. I didn't see that kind of speed coming from her [Hello Beautiful]. There were several horses in there that could have shown speed. In these sprints, a lot depends on who gets the good break. Our filly broke well, but Hello Beautiful broke exceptionally well and showed good speed as well. Junior [Alvarado] rode her perfectly.”
Runner-up in both the GII Adirondack S. and GI Spinaway S. last summer at the Spa, Frank's Rockette kicked off her sophomore season with a blowout win in Gulfstream's Any Limit S. Feb. 22. Second as the favorite in a sloppy renewal of Oaklawn's Purple Martin S. Apr. 4, she entered riding a two-race winning streak, headed by a narrow decision over Reagan's Edge in Belmont's GIII Victory Ride S. going 6 1/2 furlongs last time July 4.
Pedigree Notes:
Runaway leader on the general sire list of 2020 by individual black-type winners with 23, Into Mischief got another bolstering of his credentials when Frank's Rockette moved from the GIII-winning column to the GII-winning column. Overall, Into Mischief has 30 graded winners and 77 career black-type winners. Frank's Rockette marks the third Into Mischief graded stakes horse produced by an Indian Charlie mare, including this summer's GIII Schuylerville S. winner Dayoutoftheoffice and 2018 MGISP Rowayton. Indian Charlie's 63 stakes winners out of his daughters include last year's champion sprinter Mitole (Eskendereya), who stands alongside Into Mischief at Spendthrift Farm. Frank's Rockette's dam, Rocket Twentyone, won the 2011 GIII Arlington-Washington Lassie S. and has produced three stakes horses from three foals. Frank's Rockette was her last reported foal.
Saturday, Saratoga
PRIORESS S.-GII, $200,000, Saratoga, 9-5, 3yo, f, 6f, 1:08.89, ft.
1–FRANK'S ROCKETTE, 122, f, 3, by Into Mischief
1st Dam: Rocket Twentyone (GSW, $136,149),
by Indian Charlie
2nd Dam: Symphonic Lady, by Blare of Trumpets
3rd Dam: Wavering Lady, by Wavering Monarch
'TDN Rising Star' O-Frank Fletcher Racing Operations, Inc.;
B-Frank Fletcher (KY); T-William I. Mott; J-Junior Alvarado.
$110,000. Lifetime Record: MGISW, 9-5-4-0, $523,603. Werk
Nick Rating: A++. Click for eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Reagan's Edge, 118, f, 3, Competitive Edge–Dayienu, by
Sunday Break (Jpn). ($45,000 Wlg '17 FTKNOV; $30,000 Ylg '18
FTKJUL; $77,000 2yo '19 OBSAPR). O-Lael Stables; B-Mauk One
Farm (KY); T-Cherie DeVaux. $40,000.
3–Center Aisle, 118, f, 3, Into Mischief–Specification, by Empire
Maker. ($165,000 Wlg '17 KEENOV; $450,000 Ylg '18 KEESEP;
$1,500,000 2yo '19 FTFMAR). O-OXO Equine LLC; B-Breffni
Farm (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $24,000.
Margins: 2HF, 1, 2. Odds: 1.55, 4.90, 3.70.
Also Ran: Secondary Market, Sound Machine, Hello Beautiful, Up in Smoke, Purrfectly Claire. Scratched: Kimari. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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