The Frizette is one of three Breeders’ Cup Challenge races at Belmont Park on Sunday. (Photo credit: © Cheryl Quigley | Dreamstime.com)
An evenly matched group of seven two-year-old fillies will square in Sunday’s $400,000 Frizette (G1) with a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) hanging in the balance.
The Frizette is one of three Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” races on Sunday at Belmont Park. The $500,000 Flower Bowl Invitational (G1) offers up a berth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1) and the $150,000 Futurity (G3) winner earns a starting spot in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint.
The Steve Asmussen trained Wicked Whisper is the 2-1 morning line favorite for the Frizette. The daughter of Liam’s Map broke her maiden in her debut by 6 ¼ lengths.
Frank’s Rockette, who ran second in the Adirondack (G2) and Spinaway (G1) figures to take some action and is the 5-2 second choice on the morning line.
Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert ships in Quality Response (7-2), who won the Phone Chatter at Los Alamitos in her last start and is perfect in her two career outings.
“She’s a really well-bred filly. She doesn’t use up her energy,” Baffert said. “You can place her anywhere you want her. She has speed. I’m really excited about her. She ships well and has a really good mind on her.”
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The Chad Brown trained Sistercharlie seeks her sixth consecutive Grade 1 win when she is sent off as the overwhelming favorite in the Flower Bowl. She is the 1-5 morning line favorite.
The Futurity drew six led by the Wesley Ward trained Four Wheel Drive (9-5), who won the Rosie’s Stakes at Colonial Downs in her debut.
Let’s head out to Belmont Park for Sunday’s featured race of the day:
Belmont Park Race 9 The Frizette (G1) Post time 5:20 ET
6 Miss Marissa 8-1
3 Wicked Whisper 2-1
7 Frank’s Rockette 5-2
1 Quality Response 7-2
Miss Marissa
The James Ryerson trainee took the field gate to wire to break her maiden last out here at a mile in her fourth career start. This gal ran second two back to British Idiom, who came back to win the Alcibiades (G1) at Keeneland on Friday. She has shown a steady improvement and is proven at the one turn mile distance. Another move forward and she can be in the mix in this spot at a decent price. She is out of an Arch mare that has dropped two other foals to race, both winners.
Wicked Whisper
This filly opened up an easy lead and rolled to a pretty easy 6 1/4 length win in her debut at the Spa, sent off as the betting favorite in the field of six. She earned the top last out speed fig in the effort. She has plenty of pedigree to handle the added ground. The $500,000 Keeneland purchase is by Liam’s Map out of a Bernardini mare that has dropped three other foals to race, all winners and two are stakes winners, top earner Point of Honor ($466,375). Asmussen has been sending out live runners at the meeting and Rosario picks up the call. She should be on or near the pace here and looks capable of moving forward off her maiden score.
Frank’s Rockette
She is coming off a pair of runner up finishers in graded stakes company. After an impressive maiden score in her debut at Churchill Downs she shipped to Saratoga where she was a game second in the Adirondack (G2) in her stakes debut, beaten a half-length. She came up short to Perfect Alibi again last out in a runner up finish in the Spinaway. The winner came back to run second in the Alcibiades on Friday. She is by Into Mischief out of the stakes winner Rocket Twentyone ($136,129). She has put in a couple of good works since her last effort and may end up going off as the favorite in here.
Wagering
WIN: Miss Marissa to win at 9-2 or better.
EXACTA: 3,6 / 1,3,6,7
TRIFECTA: 3,6 / 1,3,6,7 / 1,2,3,6,7
