Tag: Racing

Frank Fletcher Racing Operations Inc.'s Frank's Rockette won like a 2-5 favorite should in Saturday's $125,000 Hurricane Bertie (G3) at Gulfstream Park, breezing to an easy eight-length victory.

The Hurricane Bertie, a 6½-furlong sprint for older fillies and mares, headlined a 12-race program that also featured the $100,000 Captiva Island, a five-furlong turf sprint for older fillies and mares won by Michael Vaccarezza's Little Jewel, a 5-year-old little sister to multi-millionaire Little Mike.

Frank's Rockette, a multiple graded stakes winner with more than $1.2 million in earnings, was coming off a 12 ¼-length triumph in the Dec. 31 Sugar Swirl (G3) at Gulfstream.

“Our filly did her job. She loves this racetrack,” Mott said. “We had options to go some other places but given the fact that she won her so easily last time and she likes the track, we just felt, 'Bring her back.' Unfortunately, the owner is from Arkansas and would like to see his horses run in Hot Springs. This was my first option, and he let us do it.”

Frank's Rockette rated in third behind pacesetter R Adios Jersey and Fire on Time along the backstretch and into the far turn. Entering the turn into the homestretch, jockey Junior Alvarado swung three-wide aboard Frank's Rockette three-wide and the 5-year-old daughter of Into Mischief picked up the bit and swept past her overmatched rivals on her way to a geared-down triumph.

“I'm pretty lucky, to be honest, to be in this spot and get back on her,” said Alvarado, who rode the homebred mare for the first time since finishing second on her in the 2021 Sugar Swirl. “She's a pretty talented mare and she showed it today. She has a love for this track, too, and she showed it.”

Frank's Rockette ran 6½ furlongs in 1:16.81 to earn a decisive victory over R Adios Jersey, who set fractions of :22.46 and :45.26 before yielding to the Mott trainee. R. Adios Jersey held on for second but was subsequently disqualified and placed third for interfering with Drifaros, who was placed second.

Frank's Rockette, who has three wins and a second in four starts at Gulfstream, collected her 11th career victory Saturday. A homebred, she was produced by the Indian Charlie mare Rocket Twentyone.

“The races are going to get tougher,” Mott said. “Whether we put her in against the big girls, I don't know.”

The post Frank’s Rockette Takes Hurricane Bertie By Wide Margin appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Even-money favorite Shantisara chased pacesetter Scotish Star throughout the $200,000 Hillsborough (G3) for older fillies and mares Saturday at Tampa Bay Downs, then dueled that rival in early stretch before edging away late for a 1¼-length triumph.

A 4-year-old Clousty mare bred in Ireland, Shantisara was winning for the sixth time in 13 career starts and snapped a three-race winless skein dating from her victory in the Queen Elizabeth Challenge Cup (G1) last October at Keeneland.

Coming into the Hillsborough off a runner-up finish in the Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G3) Jan. 28, Shantisara was ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. for trainer Chad Brown and covered the 1 1/16-mile turf contest in a quick 1:47.14 on a course rated as firm. The time was just .88 slower than the stakes record of 1:46.26 set by Tepin in the 2016 edition of the race.

Scotish Star held on for second, while Surprisingly was neck back in third in the field seven older fillies and mares.

Shantisara, who is out of the Dalakhani mare Kharana, is campaigned by Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, and Robert V. LaPenta. She returned $4 for the win and provided Brown a sixth Hillsborough victory.

Hillsborough Stakes Quotes

Winning trainer Chad Brown: “I was really proud of Shantisara. With the slower pace, after she put herself closer, Irad really navigated her around the track perfectly. It was an expert ride and a top performance from this filly, so I am happy to have her back. If we can keep this horse healthy, I'm pretty confident she can be one of the leaders in her division. The proof was her getting close to the stakes record of Tepin .

On winning the race for the sixth time: “Hats off to all the horses through the years. They have my appreciation. Much appreciation to my team as well. Many of them have been with me through all six wins and are still with me. The credit really goes to them.”

Winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr:: “Perfect. I had a beautiful trip. There was only one horse (Scotish Star) with speed outside of me and I just wanted to break good and try to follow her, because I knew she was going to be on the lead. Last time (a second-place finish in a Grade 3 stakes at Gulfstream) she was coming off a layoff and she had a slow pace to run at and they went too slow maybe for me. She still came running at the end, so I really liked her coming into this race. I really liked her today and so did (trainer Chad Brown). And I knew it would be real easy fractions in front, so I just wanted to be close because I knew (Scotish Star) could steal the race if I didn't jump in there early. At the three-eighths pole it was time to roll, because the fractions were slow, and at the quarter pole I asked her to go and she responded really well.”

Winning co-owner Robert V. LaPenta: “I thought she was great. This is what we expect of her. She had a couple of hiccups along the way, but she was ready to go today. One step at a time – you know what this game is. Chad is beyond comprehension. He really is. This one could be any kind – like (2019 Breeders' Cup Mile winner) Uni, maybe.”

The post Shantisara Kicks Clear For Hillsborough Victory appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Skippylongstocking rebounded with aplomb from a lackluster performance in his previous start when scoring a convincing victory in the $100,000 Michelob Ultra Challenger Stakes (G3) Saturday on the Festival Day card at Tampa Bay Downs.

The 4-year-old Exaggerator colt, seventh in the Pegasus World Cup (G1) January 28, was ready to win Saturday. He pressed early pacesetter Trademark from second, then took charge nearing the homestretch before longshot Surly Furious asserted himself along the rail. Knuckling down for Irad Ortiz Jr., Skippylongstocking battled back and kicked clear in the final furlong, scoring by 3¼ lengths.

Trained by Saffie Joseph Jr. for owner Daniel Alonso, Skippylongstocking returned $3 for the victory after covering 1 1/16 miles in 1:42.52.

Surly Furious, the longest shot in the field at 26-1, was narrowly denied second by Tax, who outfinished him by a head.

Bred in Kentucky by Brushy Hill from the War Chant mare Twinkling, Skippylongstocking improved his overall record to 5-1-3 from 16 starts and $862,810 in purse earnings.

Challenger Stakes Quotes

Winning trainer Saffie A. Joseph Jr.: “He looked pretty good the whole race and then at the top of the lane, the 5 (longshot Surly Furious) shot through and it scared me. I was worried (Skippylongstocking) wasn't going to kick in, but Irad (Ortiz, Jr.) knew what he had and gave him a perfect trip. This is a consistent, hard-trying horse. He's probably not a true Grade 1 horse, but he's a very good Grade 3, Grade 2 horse, and maybe one day he might get the Grade 1 win he deserves. We threw a pretty hard campaign at him last year, and he bounced back from it and is still in good form.”

Winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr.: “At that point (when Surly Furious grabbed the lead), I didn't want to make the first move. When my horse made the lead, he kind of waited a little and I see the 5 moving inside, and I was so happy to see somebody . I know then (Skippylongstocking) would keep going, and at that point I didn't move but when I asked him, he did really well.”

Ronnie Allen Jr., jockey on third-place finisher Surly Furious: “I got a little excited for a minute. He ran his butt off.”

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Working after the renovation break Saturday morning at Oaklawn Park, Iowa-bred sensation Tyler's Tribe moved closer to his 3-year-old debut by recording a five-furlong bullet (1:00 flat) for co-owner/trainer Tim Martin of Hot Springs.

The clocking was the fastest of 32 timed moves at the distance.

Tyler's Tribe, under regular rider Kylee Jordan, breezed with stablemate Joe Frazier and galloped out six furlongs in 1:13.

The work was the third for Tyler's Tribe since he received a break of approximately one month following a third-place finish in the Advent Stakes for 2-year-olds at 5½ furlongs Dec. 9 at Oaklawn. Martin said he backed off the multiple stakes winner after he bled during the race.

“Doing good,” Martin said. “I'm just kind of working him and seeing where we're at. Working him and scoping him and he's looking good so far.”

Martin said he hopes to run Tyler's Tribe again before the Oaklawn meeting ends May 6, but added he has no specific race in mind for the gelding's 3-year-old debut. Tyler's Tribe worked three furlongs in :36.40 Feb. 18 and a half-mile in :48.60 March 4.

“I want to make sure he's right,” Martin said. “Work him five-eighths this weekend. He's come back doing good and scoped clean every time. We're good, knock on wood.”

Tyler's Tribe won his first five career starts, all dirt sprints at Prairie Meadows in Iowa, by a combined 59¾ front-running lengths before being eased after bleeding in the $1 million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1) Nov. 4 at Keeneland.

From the first crop of millionaire Grade 1 winner Sharp Azteca, Tyler's Tribe has a 5-0-1 record from seven lifetime starts and earnings of $320,169. A $34,000 yearling purchase, Tyler's Tribe is a four-time stakes winner for Martin and co-owner Thomas D. Lepic.

The post ‘Doing Good’: Tyler’s Tribe Breezes Bullet At Oaklawn Toward Comeback appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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