Frank's Rockette Seeks Winning Return in Sugar Swirl

Frank's Rockette  continues her quest for a return to the winner's circle and additional graded glory Dec. 18 in the $100,000 Sugar Swirl Stakes (G3) at Gulfstream Park, the site of her first stakes victory nearly two years ago.

Frank Fletcher Racing Operations' homebred 4-year-old Into Mischief   filly tops a field of eight fillies and mares for the six-furlong sprint, with an eye on her first win since the July 3 Saylorville Stakes at Prairie Meadows. She was third last out behind Bell's the One  and Club Car  in the Nov. 13 Dream Supreme Stakes at Churchill Downs.

After breaking her maiden at first asking at Churchill and finishing second in three grade 1 stakes in a row in New York, Frank's Rockette broke through with a victory in the ungraded Any Limit Stakes at Gulfstream in the first race of her 3-year-old campaign in February 2020. The Bill Mott trainee went on to win three graded stakes in a row in New York that season.

"What's so special is that she's a homebred, so that makes it really nice," said Kathy Howard, racing manager for Frank Fletcher. "Eddie Woods, he broke her, and he said early on that she was going to have speed. He always was kind of enthused about her so we kind of thought she was going to be special."

Howard's late husband, W. T. Howard, trained Frank's Rockette's dam, Rocket Twentyone, a grade 3 winner who was bought as a 2-year-old in training for $300,000.

"My husband trained the mare and then he died unexpectedly, so it's real emotional for me," Howard said. "I'm just glad for everything. We've always loved the mare and Billy's really managed her well and put her in good spots."

Junior Alvarado has the call aboard Frank's Rockette, who drew post 3.

OXO Equine's Center Aisle  will pursue her first stakes victory Saturday while coming off a pair of impressive optional claiming and allowance victories at Churchill and Keeneland in her first two starts for trainer Paulo Lobo. Formerly trained by Chad Brown, the filly—also a 4-year-old by Into Mischief—finished third behind Frank's Rockette in both the Victory Ride Stakes (G3) and the Prioress Stakes (G2) last year.

Luis Saez is scheduled to ride Center Aisle for the first time. The duo will depart post 5.

Bronx Beauty , who lost last year's Sugar Swirl by a head, is slated to return for Breeze Easy. The 5-year-old stakes-winning daughter of Liaison   is coming in fresh off a Sept. 6 allowance victory at Monmouth Park.

Arindel's Quinoa Tifah , Cumberland Stables' Music City Star , and Team Hanley and Paul Braverman's Loriloupies  are also entered in the Sugar Swirl after finishing first, second, and third in a Nov. 18 optional claiming allowance at Gulfstream.

Mark Grier's Sosua  and CJ Thoroughbreds' Compensate  round out the field.

Dream Marie Looks to Step Out of Letruska's Shadow

Dream Marie  ran into stiff competition in the $100,000 Rampart Stakes last season, but the 4-year-old daughter of Graydar   won't have the same rival to contend with this season in her return to the mile event for fillies and mares.

"She was second here in this race last year when the race was won by Letruska. Hopefully, we run well again this year," trainer Matthew Williams said.

Letruska  went on to win six graded stakes, including four grade 1 events, in 2021.

Dream Marie comes off a runner-up finish to Saracosa  by 1 1/2 lengths in the 1 1/16-mile Love Sign Stakes Aug. 23 at Colonial Downs.

"We gave her a month off and a few months to get ready for this," Williams said. "She's been training really well for this race. I think she should have a great chance. She's been training so well. She's progressed. Every week has been better than the previous week."

Junior Alvarado is scheduled to ride Dream Marie for the first time Saturday. The duo will depart the outside post in a field of six against Slam Dunk Racing's Allworthy , Ken Copenhaver's Queen Nekia , Imaginary Stables' Don't Get Khozy , Whisper Hill Farm's Dance d'Oro , and Porta Pia Stables' Gran Baby .

Entries: Rampart S.

Gulfstream Park, Saturday, December 18, 2021, Race 6

• STK
• 1m
• Dirt
• $100,000
• 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 2:28 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Allworthy (KY)	Tyler Gaffalione	118	Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.	4/1
2	2Don't Get Khozy (FL)	Leonel Reyes	121	Antonio Sano	6/1
3	3Dance d'Oro (KY)	Emisael Jaramillo	121	Ralph E. Nicks	7/2
4	4Queen Nekia (FL)	Corey J. Lanerie	123	Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.	3/1
5	5Gran Baby (CHI)	Hector Isaac Berrios	121	Amador Merei Sanchez	15/1
6	6Dream Marie (KY)	Junior Alvarado	121	Matthew J. Williams	9/5

Entries: Sugar Swirl S. (G3)

Gulfstream Park, Saturday, December 18, 2021, Race 8

• Grade III
• 6f
• Dirt
• $100,000
• 3 yo's & up Fillies and Mares
• 3:28 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Quinoa Tifah (FL)	Paco Lopez	118	Carlos A. David	6/1
2	2Music City Star (KY)	Rafael Manuel Hernandez	118	Christopher Davis	12/1
3	3Frank's Rockette (KY)	Junior Alvarado	122	William I. Mott	9/5
4	4Loriloupies (FL)	John R. Velazquez	120	Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.	10/1
5	5Center Aisle (KY)	Luis Saez	120	Paulo H. Lobo	2/1
6	6Compensate (KY)	Miguel Angel Vasquez	120	Cam M. Gambolati	20/1
7	7Bronx Beauty (PA)	Tyler Gaffalione	120	Anthony R. Margotta, Jr.	6/1
8	8Sosua (KY)	Edwin Gonzalez	120	Arnaud Delacour	15/1