Frank's Rockette solid favorite early on holiday card

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Churchill Downs fans can spend the Memorial Day holiday pretty much the same way they’ve done since the spring meet began May 16 – reveling in mostly big fields with plenty of wagering allure.

Three $83,000 allowances (races 2, 8, 9) serve as co-features of the lone Monday card at the 26-day meet. The earliest of that trio will showcase arguably the most recognizable name on the card, Frank’s Rockette, whose wealth of stakes experience surely will help make her a solid favorite when she faces six other 3-year-old fillies at six furlongs.

Never worse than second in six career starts, Frank’s Rockette will have Martin Garcia back aboard after settling for second behind the late-flying Kimari in the Purple Martin last month at Oaklawn Park. Bill Mott trains the daughter of Into Mischief for owner-breeder Frank Fletcher.

Race 8 is the male counterpart to the earlier filly race, with the Eddie Kenneally duo of By Your Side and Hop Kat squaring off against the Steve Asmussen pair of Echo Town and Little Menace among a lineup of eight 3-year-old sprinters. Echo Town earned a field-high 97 Beyer Speed Figure when beaten a head in the Bachelor last month at Oaklawn.

Race 9 is a 1 1/16-mile turf race with a full field of 12 older horses. It’s typical of the depth on offer so far here this spring, with Award Winner, Markitoff, and Morrocco among the likely favorites.

All allowance and maiden-special purses include substantial bonuses restricted to registered Kentucky-breds.

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First post every day at Churchill is 1 p.m. Eastern as action continues to be conducted without spectators because of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Monday forecast calls for sunshine and a high of 89. After Monday, Churchill goes dark for two days before a four-day week begins Thursday.

Dalika in sharp score

After a resounding victory in a turf sprint here Thursday, Dalika will be considered for the Grade 1 Just a Game on June 27 at Belmont Park, although trainer Al Stall Jr. said he’d “love to run here again instead if the right spot shows up.”

Dalika, a 4-year-old German-bred filly, earned an 89 Beyer when rolling home to win the $58,050 second-level allowance by two lengths under Joel Rosario.

Meanwhile, Stall’s stable star Tom’s D’Etat had his first breeze since arriving here from Oaklawn when going an easy half-mile in 49.20 seconds early Friday. The 7-year-old horse runs next in the Grade 2 Stephen Foster on June 27.

Hancock fielding offers

Less than 24 hours after Hopeful Princess won the first race of the year in Kentucky for 2-year-olds, trainer John Hancock said his phone was “ringing plumb off the hook” with offers to buy the filly, along with friends congratulating him.

“We’ll probably end up selling, but I don’t know,” Hancock said Friday from his Henderson, Ky., base. “She’s a real nice filly, I know that.”

Hopeful Princess, the first winner for her sire, Not This Time, earned a 75 Beyer.

◗ Jockey Jon Court registered his first victory since Dec. 1 when scoring aboard Feeling It ($10.40) in the fifth race Thursday. Court, 59, was sidelined for much of the winter with a collapsed lung. He has 4,182 wins in a career dating to 1980.

◗ Jockey Miguel Mena and his mount, Classy Justice, escaped injury when the filly stumbled out of the gate at the start of the eighth race Thursday.