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Frank s Rockette wins the G2 Gallant Bloom
Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott said he has no long-term 2021 goals for multiple Grade 2 winner Frank s Rockette, adding it s simply one step at a time.
That first step begins with the $150,000 American Beauty Stakes for older female sprinters Saturday at Oaklawn. The 6-furlong race marks a homecoming of sorts for Frank s Rockette, a homebred for prominent North Little Rock, Ark., businessman Frank Fletcher who finished second in the $100,000 Purple Martin Stakes for 3-year-old filly sprinters last April at Oaklawn.
Frank s Rockette, based with Mott in south Florida, was again vanned to Hot Springs. She arrived at 4 a.m. (Central) Tuesday and jogged Wednesday morning, Mott said, in advance of her 2021 debut. She is the 2-1 program favorite for the American Beauty.
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Wicked Whisper and Joe Bravo win the Miss Preakness Stakes on Oct. 3, 2020
Wicked Whisper was poised for a championship in the fall of 2019. Now, it s a career reboot and step one in 2021 is the $150,000 Pippin Stakes for older fillies and mares at 1 mile Saturday at Oaklawn.
Probable post time for the Pippin, the eighth of nine races, is 4:47 p.m. (Central). First post for the second of 57 scheduled race days is 1 p.m. (Central).
Wicked Whisper is the slight 3-1 program favorite for the Pippin, which drew a field of 12 and is Oaklawn s first of three preps for the $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) April 17. The series continues with the $250,000 Bayakoa Stakes (G3) Feb. 15 and the $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) March 13.
Hollendorfer, With Frank Stronach As New Client, Well-Stocked For Oaklawn Meet Sponsored by:
Dan Ward, assistant to trainer Jerry Hollendorfer
Southern California-based trainers flourished last year at Oaklawn, with two finishing in the top 10 in the standings.
Horses for John Sadler were scheduled to arrive at the Hot Springs, Ark., track on Sunday in advance of the 57-day meeting that is scheduled to begin Friday, Jan. 22. Sadler, in his Oaklawn debut, won 15 races in 2020 to finish fifth in the trainer standings. Horses for another Southern California-based trainer, Hall of Famer Jerry Hollendorfer, have been on the grounds since late December under the direction of his longtime assistant, Dan Ward. Hollendorfer wintered at Oaklawn for the first time in 2020 and recorded 12 victories to finish eighth in the standings.