Frank’s Rockette cruises home in Hurricane Bertie Stakes
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Frank’s Rockette continued her dominance in the local filly and mare sprint division after absolutely cruising to a one-sided and extremely popular eight-length victory in Saturday’s Grade 2, $125,000 Hurricane Bertie Stakes at Gulfstream Park. Her performance came 10 weeks after a similarly eye-catching 12 1/4-length victory in the Grade 3 Sugar Swirl.
With Junior Alvarado deputizing for regular rider Luis Saez, who was in Tampa on Saturday where he won the Grade 2 Tampa Bay Derby with leading Kentucky Derby contender Tapit Trice, Frank’s Rockette rated kindly just off the early pace set by Fire On Time and forced by R Adios Jersey. Frank’s Rockette advanced rapidly to join the leaders three wide once given her cue approaching the quarter pole, quickly opened a commanding advantage upon settling into the stretch, and increased her lead while coasting along on her own courage through much of the final furlong.
R Adios Jersey angled in a bit in the opening furlong, prompted the pace from the outset, and then withstood Drifaros despite not switching leads until deep stretch to be second across the wire. However, she was ultimately disqualified by the stewards and placed third for allegedly interfering with Drifaros in the run down the backstretch.
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Drifaros took up very sharply between horses in the opening furlong, dropping well off the early leaders and losing her best chance in the process. She did continue on willingly once recovering to finish just a half-length behind R Adios Jersey. She was followed, in turn, by Colorful Mischief, Diamond Wow, and the tiring Fire On Time.
Frank’s Rockette is a 6-year-old Into Mischief mare owned by her breeder, Frank Fletcher. She completed 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:16.81 and paid $2.80 for her 11th victory in 26 career starts and third in four tries at Gulfstream Park.
“The six horse [R Adios Jersey] outran us early, which is no surprise,” trainer Bill Mott said. “Our filly did her job. She loves this racetrack. We had the options to go some other places with her, but just given the fact she won so easily here last time we just felt bringing her back was the right idea. Unfortunately, the owner is from Arkansas and he likes to see his horses run in Hot Springs, but he’s a wise man and he let us run here. This was my first option, and he let us do it.”
Mott said he has nothing planned at the moment moving forward for Frank’s Rockette.
“The races are going to get tougher,” Mott said. “Whether we put her in against the big girls next time or not I don’t know, we’ll see what’s available. We’re not going to Keeneland. They’ve got the Madison at Keeneland, which is a Grade 1, but she’s never run well there.”
Frank’s Rockette finished a disappointing 11th, beaten 16 3/4 lengths, in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint last fall at Keeneland.
Captiva Island Stakes
Little Jewel, the baby sister of multiple Grade 1 stakes winner and $3.5 million earner Little Mike, earned some notoriety of her own when rallying up the rail under slick handling by jockey Jose Morelos to register a 1 1/4-length decision over 7-5 favorite Train to Artemus in the $100,000 Captiva Island Stakes for older fillies and mares on the turf. Charlie T, who disputed the pace from the outset with Train to Artemus, finished another half-length further back in third.
Little Jewel, like Little Mike, was bred by Carlo Vaccarezza and is owned by his son Michael Vaccarezza, for whom Little Mike was named. The 5-year-old daughter of Liam’s Map had made only three starts coming into the Captiva Island and was coming off an impressive 4 1/2-length maiden special weight victory over the local course five weeks earlier.
Little Jewel raced in midpack, about five lengths off the embattled leaders for the opening three-eighths of the five-furlong Captiva Island. Saving ground into the stretch, Little Jewel slipped inside Charlie T to gain a brief advantage near midstretch before edging clear under vigorous urging.
Train to Artemus, a winner of six of her last seven starts including the Lightning City Stakes last month at Tampa Bay Downs, dueled Charlie T for command from the outset before ultimately edging that one out for second money while unable to match strides with the winner at the end. Had Train to Artemus won, she would have given her trainer Kelly Breen his 1,000th lifetime winner.
Little Jewel paid $18 after covering the distance in 56.31 seconds over the firm course.
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