LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Phil Bauer didn’t like what he saw when picking up the overnight for the Saturday opener at Churchill Downs. “I was hoping Frank’s Rockette would go in the Grade 1 instead,” said Bauer, who will saddle Coppelia in search of an upset of heavily favored Frank’s Rockette when the Roxelana Stakes is held as the featured ninth of 10 races on a Saturday night program that kicks off the 44-day Churchill spring meet. Frank’s Rockette was nominated to the Grade 1 Derby City Distaff on the Kentucky Derby undercard, but trainer Bill Mott has opted instead for what figures to be a much lighter spot. The six-furlong distance of the Roxelana is preferable to the seven furlongs of the Derby City – not to mention the company, Mott said. Owned by Frank Fletcher, Frank’s Rockette will break from post 1 with Junior Alvarado aboard in the $175,000 Roxelana. The 6-year-old mare has won three of her last four starts, all of them stakes, while registering triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures in five of her last six. Those numbers figure to plummet her odds down toward the 1-5 range for the first of 50 stakes at the spring meet. Frank’s Rockette “beat us pretty handily down at Gulfstream Park over the winter and she’s in really good form,” said Bauer, referring to the Dec. 31 Sugar Swirl. “We’ll just have to play the hand dealt to us.” :: Take your handicapping to the next level and play with FREE DRF Past Performances - Formulator or Classic.  Frank’s Rockette, first or second in 20 of 26 career starts, got a 105 Beyer in winning the Grade 3 Sugar Swirl by 12 1/4 lengths, with Coppelia third, beaten a neck for second. Frank’s Rockette has raced once in the interim, winning the Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie on March 11 at Gulfstream by eight lengths with a 101 Beyer. Coppelia (post 6, Tyler Gaffalione), a 5-year-old Not This Time mare owned by Richard and Tammy Rigney, came to peak form on this circuit last fall, winning a Keeneland allowance, then the Dream Supreme at Churchill. She then was drubbed by Frank’s Rockette in the Sugar Swirl before getting time off, Bauer said. “The good news is we got the outside post again, and she’s shown how well she runs from there,” Bauer said. “The filly really likes to sit the trip. Maybe it’s a coincidence she won both those races last fall from the outside hole, but it’s my thought that maybe she’s matured and is more settled now.” Frank’s Rockette has enough early speed to make all the running, but she’d probably be better off waiting for Pretty Birdie (post 5, Luis Saez) to come back to her. Pretty Birdie, trained by Norm Casse, has won 4 of 11 starts when invariably setting the pace. :: Get Daily Racing Form Past Performances – the exclusive home of Beyer Speed Figures Rounding out the Roxelana are Last Leaf, Praise and Honor, and My Destiny. The race is named for the speedy mare who won 7 of 11 starts for owner-breeder Bill Landes and the late Blackie Huffman from 2000-03. Clouds (but no rain) and an overnight low of 47 are in the Saturday forecast. First post is 6 p.m. Eastern, with the Roxelana going at 10:11 and the 10th race at 10:42. The latter portion of the card will be run under lights. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.