Becca's Rocket poised to get elusive stakes win in Spotted Horse

Becca’s Rocket is looking to break through for her first stakes win Friday night when she starts as the probable favorite in the $50,000 Spotted Horse at Evangeline Downs.

“She seems to run into the tough ones,” said Jayde Gelner, who trains Becca’s Rocket. “Hopefully, it’s her time to get the job done. She fits the condition well.”

The Spotted Horse is a mile race for fillies and mares who have not won an open-company stakes, or who have competed at the current meet at Evangeline.

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Becca’s Rocket is part of a seven-horse field that includes Lady Valentine, the runner-up in the Opelousas Stakes at Evangeline, and Heavenly Rhythm, winner of the Blue Bonnet Stakes for Texas-breds in April at Lone Star Park.

Becca’s Rocket enters off a third-place finish in the $100,000 Iowa Distaff on July 8 at Prairie Meadows. Prior to the race, she was second in the Memorial Day Sprint at Lone Star Park won by Grade 1 winner Kalypso. Becca’s Rocket also ran fourth to eventual Grade 1 winner Pauline’s Pearl in the Grade 3 Houston Ladies Classic in January.

“She was a nose from being graded stakes-placed,” said Gelner. “And then she ran that great race at Lone Star in the Sprint – just got beat by a better horse that day. She was beat just three-quarters of a length.”

Becca’s Rocket – who has run second or third in four stakes races – turned in another solid stakes performance at Prairie Meadows. She was prominent for much of the 1 1/16-mile race, which was led by eventual runner-up Graysonsmacho Gal. Becca’s Rocket finished five lengths behind winner Jilted Bride.

“I think she ran good,” Gelner said of Becca’s Rocket. “Two nice horses beat her that day. She was kind of third best and the pace scenario probably wasn’t exactly what I was hoping for.

“I think the mile will really be more suitable to her. I think it should fit her well.”

Becca’s Rocket will break from post 7 under Timothy Thornton. She has made one start over the main track at Evangeline, winning an allowance at a mile in September. Becca’s Rocket also won a turf race over 7 1/2 furlongs last fall at Evangeline.

“We’re just going to play the break and see what happens,” Gelner said. “We’ll see how the pace scenario sets up and play it from there. I think she can either stalk from mid-pack or she can be stalking the leaders. It kind of depends on what happens at the break.”

Heavenly Rhythm, who is a winner at a mile, could be prominent as she is moving to two turns following a series of sprint starts. Gerardo Mora has the mount from the rail for Century Acres Farm and trainer Tina Hurley.