Frank's Rockette to Make Sophomore Debut in Any Limit
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Photo: Coady Photography
Frank's Rockette wins on debut at Churchill Downs
Last year, the appropriately named Frank's Rockette broke her maiden on debut by 8 3/4 lengths in June at Churchill Downs and placed second in her next three starts.
That in itself may not make her the bettors' pick Feb. 22, but what might draw attention to the Bill Mott trainee is the class she was racing against.
Twice she finished behind Perfect Alibi—in the Aug. 4 Adirondack Stakes (G2) at Saratoga Race Course and the Sept. 1 Spinaway Stakes (G1) at the same New York track. And in her final race of her 2-year-old season, the Into Mischief filly finished behind Wicked Whisper Oct. 6 in the one-mile Frizette Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park. Now she will be tested to see whether that form carries over to her 3-year-old season.
In her 2020 debut, the Frank Fletcher homebred is scheduled to take on a field of seven other 3-year-old fillies in the $75,000 Any Limit Stakes going six furlongs at Gulfstream Park.
Frank's Rockette is out of the Indian Charlie mare Rocket Twentyone, who was purchased by Frank Fletcher Racing for $300,000 during the Ocala Breeders' Sales March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training. Fletcher campaigned the mare, and she raced 14 times, winning the Arlington-Washington Lassie Stakes (G3) in her second start. With two other stakes-placed half siblings, Frank's Rockette is her dam's third foal to race.
Frank's Rockette will be ridden by John Velazquez from post 5.
Among the competition are highweights Sound Machine and Yesterdayoncemore. Both will carry 122 pounds, giving away two to four pounds to the field.
Sound Machine, also an Into Mischief filly, races for e Five Racing Thoroughbreds and trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. and comes into the Any Limit off a 6 1/2-length score in the Jan. 4 Glitter Woman Stakes. Fellow entrants Lavi and Tale of Success finished behind her in fourth and fifth, respectively, in that 6 1/2-furlong race at Gulfstream.
Sound Machine, who has two wins from four starts, will be ridden by Tyler Gaffalione from post 2.
Trained by Patrick Biancone, Yesterdayoncemore began her racing career in Europe but was 0-for-5 when she arrived in the U.S. In her Del Mar stateside debut, she won the Sept. 2 Del Mar Juvenile Fillies Turf Stakes going one mile on the grass while in the care of trainer James Stack.
In that test, she defeated subsequent stakes winner Warren's Showtime and the well-regarded Croughavouke, who later placed sixth in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T). Yesterdayoncemore followed that win with off-the-board losses in the Oct. 6 Surfer Girl Stakes for Stack and the Jan. 4 Kitten's Joy Stakes (G3T) for Biancone. All of her U.S. starts have come on the turf.
Luca Panici will be aboard the No Nay Never filly from post 3.
Gulfstream Park, Saturday, February 22, 2020, Race 11Entries: Any Limit S.
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Tale of Success (FL)
Edgar S. Prado
120
Gustavo Delgado
12/1
2
2Sound Machine (FL)
Tyler Gaffalione
122
Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.
8/5
3
3Yesterdayoncemore (IRE)
Luca Panici
122
Patrick L. Biancone
12/1
4
4Lavi (KY)
Jairo Rendon
118
Emmy Gaffney
10/1
5
5Frank's Rockette (KY)
John R. Velazquez
118
William I. Mott
9/5
6
6Still Alive (VA)
Paco Lopez
120
Guadalupe Preciado
10/1
7
7Fujairah (KY)
Irad Ortiz, Jr.
118
Carlos A. David
8/1
8
8Belladonnia (FL)
Cristian A. Torres
118
Ralph E. Nicks
15/1
