Frank Fletcher Racing Operations and Ten Strike Racing’s Almostgone Rocket kept her perfect record intact with an easy victory in the Listed $150,000 Jersey Girl, a six-furlong sprint for sophomore fillies, at the Belmont Stakes Racing Festival at Saratoga Race Course.
Trained by two-time Eclipse Award-winner Brad Cox, Almostgone Rocket adds to her two sprint victories this spring when a romping 11 3/4-length winner on debut in April in Oaklawn Park and ahead of a 4 1/2-length score in a first-level allowance on May 3 at Churchill Downs. She is now the first stakes-winner produced from the multiple stakes-winning Jump Start mare Bound.
“Big run. Obviously, she has a big pedigree and now she’s a stakes winner, so it takes a little pressure off,” Cox said. “Overall, our goal is to obviously get her some black type and make her a graded stakes winner. I’m proud of what she was able to do today. It was a fast opening half and she finished it off.”
Almostgone Rocket stumbled slightly when exiting post 5 under Flavien Prat as the Pennsylvania-bred Gray Lightning broke sharpest and assumed command along the inside under Jorge Vargas, Jr. to stride away to a large advantage down the backstretch. Prat made a swift decision approaching the turn to challenge for the lead with Manama Gold following to his outside to make it three across the racetrack through an opening quarter-mile in 22.28 seconds over the fast main track.
Prat needed only to shake his reins and give one right-handed tap with the crop for Almostgone Rocket to easily put away the retreating Gray Lightning and the pursuing Manama Gold, building upon her advantage with every stride in the final sixteenth to cross the wire six lengths in front while completing the course in 1:09.52.
Manama Gold was a clear second by three lengths over Gray Lightning with Becky’s Joker and Dorothy’s Dreams rounding out the order of finish. Carmelina, Roman Grace and Moonlit Lady were scratched.
Prat, who engineered her last-out allowance score, said Almostgone Rocket was push-button when asked in the turn.
“The trip was good. She broke a little bit [awkwardly] out of the gate, but she got herself forwardly placed,” said Prat. “I was traveling well all the way around and when it was time to make her move, she did. When I squeezed on her she responded really well. I knew it was going to take a good horse to run me down, and it didn’t happen.”
The previously undefeated Manama Gold made her American debut for Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher after winning her first three outings for conditioner Fawzi Nass in Dubai. She won her first two starts going a respective seven furlongs and one mile ahead of a 1 1/4-length score in the 1 3/16-mile Group 3 UAE Oaks in February at Meydan Racecourse.
Bred in Kentucky by Malibu Farm, the Into Mischief bay was a $250,000 purchase at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. She banked $82,500 in victory while returning $3 on a $2 win bet.
Article adapted from NYRA: https://cms.nyra.com/saratoga/news/almostgone-rocket-takes-off-in-$150k-jersey-girl
Ten Strike Racing