Fletcher adds to stable with eye on Arkansas Derby

Frank Fletcher’s primary objective in racing is to win the Arkansas Derby at his home track of Oaklawn Park, and he took a significant step toward making that happen last week when he purchased an Into Mischief colt for $575,000 at the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. June auction of 2-year-olds in training.

At the time of the purchase, the unnamed colt equaled a June sales record for OBS. He also has the distinction of having worked the co-fastest quarter-mile at the presale under-tack show, breezing in 20.60 seconds. Fletcher said the colt – who possibly could be named Aloha Rocket – was flown last Friday to trainer Bob Baffert in Southern California.

Baffert also has a 2-year-old Summer Bird colt for Fletcher, purchased for $500,000 at an OBS auction in April. He is based in Southern California and named Big Red Rocket. Fletcher, a prominent businessman in the automobile, hotel, and restaurant industries, is based in North Little Rock, Ark. In recent years, he has been investing in high-end bloodstock.

“These are what I call my Oaklawn hopefuls,” Fletcher said. “It’s been my lifelong dream to win the Arkansas Derby. The closest I’ve been in it was third with Son of Rocket. I’ve been in it three times.”

Fletcher looks forward to seeing how this year’s crop of 2-year-olds develops and said he might not be done shopping yet. He said he purchased the Into Mischief colt on the advice of bloodstock agent Donato Lanni.

“I bought the horse by phone, flew down there to introduce myself to the horse,” Fletcher said. “My agent, Donato Lanni, he picked him out. I didn’t know a lot about the sire, but I depend on Donato because this is what he does.”

Fletcher pointed out that Into Mischief, a young stallion who at 2 won the Grade 1 CashCall Futurity, is the sire of Goldencents, the two-time winner of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile. Other top runners for Into Mischief include Vicar’s in Trouble, Vyjack, and Can the Man.

Big Red Rocket, meanwhile, is coming right along in his training and targeting a late-summer debut, said Fletcher. The horse’s latest breeze came Sunday, when he went three-eighths in 36.80 seconds at Santa Anita.

“I got a text from Bob Baffert on Sunday that he worked out very strongly,” Fletcher said. “He said that he’ll be ready to run in August.”

The other members of Fletcher’s 2-year-old crop include Princess Rocket, a filly in training in Kentucky with Al Stall Jr. And then there’s Rocket III, the 2-year-old namesake of most of Fletcher’s horses. He’s a German Shepherd, the third one Fletcher has owned, all inspiring horse names.

“He’s a beautiful dog,” Fletcher said. “He stays right in my office with me, gets in the car with me. He’s a constant companion.”

Big Red Rocket, the colt, had a couple of other reasons for his name, said Fletcher.

“He’s a giant horse in size, and he’s red,” he said.

Wolf Man Rocket is a 3-year-old for Fletcher, and the owner said he is probably the best runner he has going right now. The horse won his maiden in the $100,000 Northern Spur Stakes on the Arkansas Derby undercard April 11. Wolf Man Rocket has made one start since, finishing a close fifth in the Grade 2 Peter Pan on May 9 at Belmont Park.

“He’s resting for 60 days,” Fletcher said. “I would love for him to win a big race and get in the Breeders’ Cup. He’s that quality of horse. He’s really a nice horse. For sure, we’ll see him at Oaklawn next year as a 4-year-old.”

Fletcher also has Rocket Time pointed for the Oaklawn meet that opens in January. The horse won the $50,000 Tenacious Stakes last December at Fair Grounds and in his most recent start was third in the Grade 3 Commonwealth on April 4 at Keeneland.

“He’ll be back at Oaklawn,” Fletcher said. “He’s been a nice horse. We got him out in the pasture, just resting for Oaklawn.”

As for Fletcher, he’s also hoping his stable will be represented in the Arkansas Derby.