Frank's Rockette runs away with Sugar Swirl

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Frank’s Rockette set the tone for Saturday’s Pegasus World Cup preview card at Gulfstream Park with a dominating performance in the Grade 3 Sugar Swirl, coasting to an eye-catching 12 1/4-length victory over Joyful Cadence in the first of six stakes races decided on the final card of the 2022 racing season.

Rebounding from a disappointing 11th-place finish in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint eight weeks ago, Frank’s Rockette broke alertly to set all the pace in the seven-furlong Sugar Swirl. With Luis Saez aboard, Frank’s Rockette shook off early challenger Edie Meeny Miny Mo on the final bend, settled into the stretch with a commanding advantage, then readily increased her lead while just cruising to the wire.

Joyful Cadence, graded stakes placed earlier this season in Kentucky, eased back from inside the early leaders down the backstretch, proved no match for the winner but held off Coppelia by a neck to be second-best. Restofthestory and a tiring Edie Meeny Miny Mo rounded out the order of finish in a scratched-reduced field of just five fillies and mares.

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Frank’s Rockette, a 5-year-old daughter of Into Mischief, is trained by Hall of Famer Bill Mott for owner/breeder Frank Fletcher. She closed out her 2022 campaign with two victories in six starts and earnings of more than $336,000 while swelling her lifetime bankroll to over $1.2 million.

Frank’s Rockette completed six furlongs in 1:09.63 seconds and paid $3.60. She earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 105.

“She just said adios,” Mott said with a smile after the race. “She usually brings a good race to the game and today she brought a really good one. She’s been a model of consistency, other than her races at Keeneland. For some reason she’s never shown her best race there, which might explain her race in the Breeders’ Cup.”

Mott said his owner has been debating whether to continue running Frank’s Rockette at least into the new year. The decision may have been made by her performance on Saturday.

“I think he’s leaning toward racing and when he sees this race, he’ll probably want to give her another race,” Mott predicted. "There’s obviously time for one more before you have to go to the breeding shed. So that’s an option. The way she’s going, I see no reason not to keep going a little bit more.”

Mr. Prospector

Sibelius became a graded stakes winner for the first time while giving jockey Junior Alvarado his second stakes win on the card after edging away from Dean Delivers to register a 2 1/4-length decision in the Grade 3 Mr. Prospector. Steal Sunshine rallied from far back to be third.

The well-traveled Sibelius, competing at his fifth different track in his last five starts, rated kindly just off the pace of 3-1 favorite Uncle Ernie, stuck his head in front outside that rival nearing the stretch, edged clear before gradually increasing his advantage under vigorous urging. Dean Delivers, well placed while saving ground early, angled out to go after the winner leaving the turn, but could not sustain the bid while easily best of the rest. Steal Sunshine finished with good energy to be third while never seriously menacing the top pair.

Sibelius, a son of Not This Time, is trained by Jeremiah O’Dwyer for owners Jun Park and Delia Nash. He covered seven furlongs in 1:23.04 and paid $11.20. He earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 96.

“He’s been a great horse to have all year,” O’Dwyer said. “He was really good at Pimlico (winning the Lite the Fuse by 7 1/2 lengths) and just improved all year. He’s going to be turning 5 now and I’m looking forward to having a big year moving forward. Junior knows him well, gets along well with him. He rated just behind the leader, Junior tipped him out and he just did his thing.”

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