R Harper Rose rebounds with win on cutback in Forward Gal Stakes

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – R Harper Rose got back to what she does best, sprinting, and became a graded stakes winner for the first time after edging away to a two-length victory over Fiona’s Magic in Saturday’s $125,000 Forward Gal at Gulfstream Park. The win was the fourth in as many starts in one-turn races for R Harper Rose, whose only setback to date was a second-place finish in the 1 1/16-mile My Dear Girl Stakes in her 2-year-old finale.

R Harper Rose broke alertly and then came to hand nicely under regular rider Edgard Zayas who was content to let Fiona’s Magic rush to the lead during the early stages of the Grade 3 Forward Gal. R Harper Rose stalked the pacesetter through honest splits of 22.63 seconds and 45.90 for the opening half-mile, stuck her head in front while still in reserve midway on the turn, and edged clear despite drifting a tad wide off the bend before gradually increasing her advantage under vigorous handling to the end.

Fiona’s Magic broke a step slow before rushing to the lead inside R Harper Rose. She could not match strides with R Harper Rose exiting the turn but continued on willingly to be second best, finishing 1 1/4 lengths in front of Chi Chi. Scalable moved within easy striking distance behind the early leaders on the turn but flattened out through the final furlong, finishing a disappointing fourth as the tepid 9-5 favorite.

R Harper Rose, a Florida-bred daughter of Khozan owned in partnership by Averill Racing and Two Eight Racing, covered seven furlongs in 1:24.34, her final time just .13 of a second slower than the boys ran the same distance 30 minutes earlier in the Swale. She earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 79.

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“She has that much speed, but she will relax for you and today she was able to do that,” trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. said. “Edgard was very patient, he broke well, the two [Fiona’s Magic] wanted the lead and he didn’t force the issue. And I think it worked to her advantage. This is basically her. One turn is her. We’re going to keep her at one turn. There are a lot of races out there for her, and hopefully we can have a big year.”

Swale Stakes: Frankie’s Empire rallies for upset

Frankie’s Empire came into Saturday’s $125,000 Swale Stakes the winningest member of the field, with three victories in six previous starts. He also came in the least respected, going off the longest price on the board at 14-1 in the seven-furlong fixture for 3-year-olds.

But Frankie’s Empire both outran his odds and added to his win total when rallying from off a contested early pace to a convincing 3 1/2-length victory over fellow longshot Le Dom Bro in the Swale for his new trainer, Michael Yates. Frankie’s Empire joined Yates’s barn shortly after winning an entry-level allowance for trainer Susan Crowell on Dec. 26 at Parx Racing in his 2-year-old finale.

Frankie’s Empire, who rallied from last to win the allowance, broke alertly and raced more forwardly placed in the run down the backstretch under jockey Miguel Vasquez. Frankie’s Empire, a son of Classic Empire, joined the embattled leaders four wide approaching the stretch, stuck his head in front of Billal nearing the furlong marker, and then drew off with complete authority.

Le Dom Bro, at 13-1 the second-longest price on the board, raced within easy striking distance while saving ground, slipped through on the inside upon settling into the stretch, and finished willingly to be second best without threatening the winner. Grand Mo the First finished third.

Legalize got hooked up in an early speed duel with Billal and Risk It and was done before six furlongs, easing to the wire to finish seventh and last as the 4-5 favorite.

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Owned by D and D Stables LLC, Frankie’s Empire completed the distance over a fast track in 1:24.22 and paid $30.

“After winning the allowance race at Parx, I guess the weather was bad and Susan [Crowell], the previous trainer, wanted to try him in Florida, so she sent him to me about three weeks ago,” Yates explained. “They shipped him down, we picked it up, and moved forward. We didn’t have him long, but long enough to get to know him and get a breeze over the track.”

Yates said he was more surprised Frankie’s Empire was as close as he was to the pace than that he won the race.

“After talking to Susan, he’s just coming around mentally,” Yates said. “He’s kind of a lumbering horse, but when we breezed him in company he kind of woke up after the breeze. I was cautiously optimistic after that.”

Yates said Frankie’s Empire would definitely stay with him in South Florida for the winter, with plans for his next start still to be determined.

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