Almostgone Rocket (Into Mischief) made good on a promise of 1-2, leading home a 'TDN Rising Star' exacta as a much-the-best winner of Thursday's Jersey Girl S. at Saratoga.
A $250,000 Keeneland September purchase, Almostgone Rocket decimated a field of Oaklawn maidens by nearly a dozen lengths on debut Apr. 5 to become a 'TDN Rising Star', but instead of going for a race like the GII Eight Belles S., for which she would have been well-fancied, opted for a first-level Churchill allowance May 3, and she duly obliged by 4 1/4 lengths as the 2-1 chalk, good for a 93 Beyer.
Just outsprinted to the front by Gray Lightning (Social Inclusion), Almostgone Rocket tracked intently to her outside, and the duo were joined deeper out by fellow 'Rising Star' Manama Gold (Star Guitar), who was away very awkwardly in her American debut before entering the fray. Gray Lightning was the first to back out of it and Manama Gold loomed a threat turning for home, but Almostgone Rocket went through her gears in the final furlong and a half to crush. Manama Gold, last-out winner of the G3 UAE Oaks over an extended nine furlongs, was no match for the favorite, but ran on nicely over a trip surely short of optimal.
“The trip was good. She broke a little bit [awkwardly] out of the gate, but she got herself forwardly placed,” said winning jockey Flavien Prat. “I was traveling well all the way around and when it was time to make her move, she did. When I squeezed on her she responded really well. I knew it was going to take a good horse to run me down, and it didn't happen.”
The 152nd stakes winner for Into Mischief, Almostgone Rocket is out of a three-time stakes-winning Pennsylvania-bred mare that was purchased by Malibu Farm for $170,000 at the 2016 Keeneland November Sale. Bound is also the dam of the 2-year-old filly Big Air (Vekoma), a $120,000 OBS March purchase by Mike Maker, a yearling colt by Vino Rosso and the mare produced a full-sister to Almostgone Rocket Apr. 25.
JERSEY GIRL S., $145,500, Saratoga, 6-6, 3yo, f, 6f, 1:09.52, ft.
1–ALMOSTGONE ROCKET, 118, f, 3, by Into Mischief
1st Dam: Bound (MSW, $419,174), by Jump Start
2nd Dam: China Sky, by Skywalker
3rd Dam: Bolchina, by Bolger
1ST BLACK-TYPE WIN. ($250,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP). O-Frank Fletcher Racing Operations Inc & Ten Strike Racing; B-Malibu Farm LLC (KY); T-Brad H Cox; J-Flavien Prat. $82,500. Lifetime Record: 3-3-0-0, $224,460.
2–Manama Gold, 122, f, 3, Star Guitar–Charged Cotton, by Dehere. ($100,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP; $200,000 2yo '23 OBSAPR). O-Victorious Racing LLC; B-Brittlyn Inc. (LA); T-Todd A Pletcher. $30,000.
3–Gray Lightning, 118, f, 3, Social Inclusion–Fairy Gray, by Cat Thief. 1ST BLACK-TYPE. ($370,000 HRA '24 FTDAPR). O-NR Club; B-Desmond C Wynter (PA); T-J Tyler Servis. $18,000.
Margins: 6, 3, 4 1/4. Odds: 0.50, 4.30, 3.45.
Also Ran: Becky's Joker, Dorothy's Dreams. Scratched: Carmelina, Moonlit Lady, Roman Grace. Click for the Equibase.com chart and VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
#5 Almostgone Rocket lives up to his name and stays perfect in R4 at the #Belatoga meet for trainer @bradcoxracing with Flavien Prat aboard! 🚀
🎥 #TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/HnlPq2Zxjj
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) June 6, 2024
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