Miss Frost wins Riskaverse Stakes on front end

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Trainer Tom Albertrani said earlier in the week that Miss Frost can be a bit quirky when in tight quarters with other horses, and that he’d like jockey Edgar Prado to find her a spot somewhere in the clear during Friday’s $100,000 Riskaverse at Saratoga.

Prado couldn’t have followed those instructions any better, putting Miss Frost on the lead into the opening turn and never looking back, the pair ultimately cruising to a 4 3/4-length victory over Fashion Fund in the one-mile Riskaverse, with 8-5 favorite Granny Mc’s Kitten rallying mildly to finish third.

The victory was the third in succession and the second at the meet for Miss Frost, who captured the Tenski Stakes just 18 days ago. All three of those wins have come with Prado aboard. Miss Frost also gave Albertrani his ninth win of the meet, three of those in stakes.

Miss Frost broke alertly and briefly dueled with Florida invader Scandalous Act before edging clear entering the clubhouse turn. She rated kindly on the front end, spurted to a six-length advantage turning for home, and was never seriously threatened thereafter. Fabulous Fund outfinished Granny’s Mc’s Kitten by a neck to be second.

Miss Frost paid $8.80.

“Edgar had a lot of horse underneath him today,” said Albertrani, who trains Miss Frost for Cot Campbell’s Dogwood Stable. “I didn’t expect to see that kind of an effort out of her. I was just hoping she could come back and run the same race as last time. I was a little concerned about her being on the inside because we know she’s a little fussy about certain things. She actually seemed to really like being out there [on the lead], and when they got close to her, Edgar said she just kicked on again. She’s just getting better. This was a tremendous effort out of her today.”

Albertrani said the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II at Keeneland could be next on the agenda for Miss Frost.

“After three straight wins, we might have to test her a little bit,” said Albertrani.