Mott makes BC picks for Frank's Rockette, Harvey's Lil Goil

Trainer Bill Mott said Monday that Frank's Rockette will run in Saturday's Breeders' Cup Sprint at Keeneland, and Harvey's Lil Goil will run in the Filly and Mare Turf.

Frank's Rockette, winner of four straight, also was being considered for the Filly and Mare Sprint. Harvey's Lil Goil, who won the Grade 1 Queen Elizabeth II at Keeneland last out, also was being considered for the Distaff.

"We’re taking on the boys" with Frank's Rockette, Mott said during a media teleconerence. "We preferred the distance, the six-furlong distance of the Sprint, that’s why we chose that over the 7/8 of the Filly and Mare Sprint. We weren’t sure if there was a right or wrong decision, but we know we’re stepping up into deep water with her, regardless of which race we were in. But our final decision was to go in the Sprint."

In the Sprint, the 3-year-old Into Mischief filly's competition could include the formidable Vekoma, Yaupon and C Z Rocket.

Mott said that for Frank's Rockette, "a lot depends on post position draw, I suppose. You’re looking at a big field. You definitely could have a traffic jam in a race like that, and we had to figure that into the equation. The Filly and Mare Sprint would have had a smaller field, you probably wouldn’t have as much congestion as far as the running of the race. But the Sprint can get a little busy.

"The good thing about her, we’ve found out that she does not have to be on the lead," Mott said. "She rates well, and naturally there’s always going to be plenty of speed in that race. I think the fact that we know that she’s got the ability to be a stalker, we’re fine with that. You’d like to draw somewhere in the middle, I guess. You’d probably prefer not to be the 1 or the 14."

Mott cited a couple of reasons for opting for the Filly and Mare Turf for Harvey's Lil Goil.

"No. 1, we’ve seen a good race from her over the turf course here at Keeneland. She won her last out, she won the QEII. It was a very good race. The second thing, it looked like the Distaff on the dirt was coming up a very good race — we know we’ve got Monomoy Girl in there, who’s a very top filly, and also Swiss Skydiver is supposed to be going in that direction. Both races are top-heavy, they’ve got good horses in both fields. But I guess just the fact that we did win on the grass here, that was probably the biggest part of it."

Junior Alvarado will have the mount on Harvey's Lil Goil.