Heavily favored Frank's Rockette just gets it done in Victory Ride

ELMONT, N.Y. - Even trainer Bill Mott thought it was going to be easier than that.

Frank’s Rockette had to work harder than Mott and the betting public thought, but she got the job done, gutting out a head victory over Reagan’s Edge in Saturday’s Grade 3, $100,000 Victory Ride Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Belmont Park.

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While the margin of victory wasn’t eye-catching, the final time of 1:14.47 for 6 1/2 furlongs over a drying out track labeled fast was just .01 off the Belmont track record, shared by Super Shape (2009) and Bear Fan (2004). Frank’s Rockette paid $2.90 to win. She earned a 94 Beyer Speed Figure.

“Frankly, looking on paper I thought just because the way the race looked she was deserving of favoritism,” Mott said. “I got to say she didn’t win like a 2-5 shot by any means. She had to work for it. She gutted it out. She won.”

On paper, Frank’s Rockette looked like the main speed under John Velazquez in the five-horse Victory Ride. She broke well, but so did Reagan’s Edge, who under Jose Lezcano was within a half-length of Frank’s Rockette after a quarter of 23.11 seconds. Center Aisle, under Joel Rosario, was in close contention as well.

“I’m surprised they were able to press her early,” Mott said. “Just looking at a piece of paper I thought she was probably going to be in front. She wound up being in front, but not with a clear lead.”

Frank’s Rockette and her two pursuers were still in contention after a half-mile in 45.52. In upper stretch, it appeared Frank’s Rockette was going to open up, but Reagan’s Edge kept fighting on and was running late at Frank’s Rockette, who responded to Velazquez’s left-handed whip.

“She broke well enough, but not as quick as I thought she would,” Velazquez said. “Little by little, she got into the battle and I let her do what she wanted to do. At the end, she put in a really good fight. At the wire I thought I had it. But right before the wire, I wasn’t sure we were going to hold on.”

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It was the fourth victory from eight starts and first graded stakes victory for Frank’s Rockette, a daughter of Into Mischief owned by Frank Fletcher.

Cherie DeVaux, trainer of 13-1 shot Reagan’s Edge, credited Lezcano with deciding to put his filly into the race after breaking so well.

“Jose did the right thing,” DeVaux said. “He didn’t take it away from her, he didn’t try to get her to do something else. There’s not a lot to her, but she tries really hard every time.”

Center Aisle finished third by 4 1/4 lengths over Up in Smoke. Miss Peppina was last.

Mott said that provided Frank’s Rockette comes out of the Victory Ride well, he will point her to the Grade 1 Test at Saratoga on Aug. 8.