Frost Point controls slow pace, rolls home in Heavenly Prize
OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Frost Point was able to establish an early pace advantage without really trying under Jorge Vargas Jr., then had plenty left with which to finish as she dominated Saturday’s $116,250 Heavenly Prize Invitational by 6 1/4 lengths at Aqueduct.
Falconet, the 3-5 favorite, sat second most of the way under Jose Lezcano and finished in that position, 1 3/4 lengths ahead of Battle Bling. Piece of My Heart was last of four. Mommasgottarun was scratched.
The victory was the fourth from 10 starts for Frost Point, a 5-year-old daughter of Frosted out of the Grade 1-winning mare Balletto. It was her first in a stakes race after having finished second in the Top Flight Invitational here exactly one year ago and third in the Grade 3 Allaire Du Pont at Pimlico last May.
Following the Du Pont, Frost Point was off for seven months, returning on Dec. 30 here with an off-the-pace allowance win, a performance she bettered in the Heavenly Prize.
“She just needed a break, like we all need sometimes,” said Leana Willaford, the New York-based assistant to winning trainer Bill Mott “She’s moving well. She’s handling things really well. Her weight and her coat are probably the best I’ve ever seen it.”
The Heavenly Prize lacked pace. Coming out of the gate, it appeared Falconet was going to the front, but Lezcano was looking for someone to follow. Vargas allowed Frost Point to ease her way to the front, having to run an opening quarter in a pedestrian 25.31 seconds to get there. After maintaining a measured advantage through a half-mile in 49.07 seconds, Vargas said he smooched to Frost Point, who began to get away from Falconet.
In upper stretch, Vargas gave Frost Point a vigorous hand ride and she was never seriously challenged through the lane. Frost Point, owned and bred by Godolphin Racing, covered the mile in 1:37.24 and returned $9.10 as the third choice.
Future plans for Frost Point will be determined by her connections, but a likely short-term goal would likely be the Grade 2, $200,000 Ruffian, like the Heavenly Prize a one-turn mile, on May 6 at Belmont Park.
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