Frank's Rockette breezes to fourth straight win in Gallant Bloom

Trainer Bill Mott’s extremely fast filly Frank’s Rockette left no doubt who was best with an authoritative 7 1/2-lengths win Saturday's Grade 2, $150,000 Gallant Bloom at Belmont Park. 

Sent off the heavy 1-5 favorite, Frank’s Rockette and jockey Junior Alvarado stalked in third for the opening half mile before taking the lead from Pacific Gale on the turn and and never surrendering.

“Junior has said that when she’s tracking a horse, when she’s got a target, she really feels good.” Mott said. “She’s just waiting for the cue to go on.”

A daughter of Into Mischief out of Rocket Twentyone, by Indian Charlie, the Frank Fletcher homebred came into the race looking for her fourth straight victory, after winning most recently in the Prioress (G2) at Saratoga on Sept. 5.

Despite the dominant win, Mott was noncommittal about entering next month’s $1 million Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint at Keeneland.

“Depending on where that will be, we’ll have to decide that,” Mott said of Frank's Rockette's next start. “I don’t know exactly where it will be, but we’ll talk to the ownership group and the management group and we’ll make a plan.”

Splits for the race were :22.76, :45.60 and 1:09.37. The winning time for 6 1/2 furlongs was 1.16.12.

Honor Way checked in a distant second and was followed by Royal Charlotte in third. Frank’s Rockette returned $2.70 for the win.