Frankly Scarlett Keeps Streak In Tact At Cal ExpoSaturday, December 3, 2011 - by Scott Ehrlich, Publicity – Cal Expo Fresh from four straight dominating victories, Frankly Scarlett kept the momentum going at Cal Expo in Friday night’s $3,600 headliner for the pacing fillies and mares
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Starting from the pole in a field reduced to five as a result of a scratch, the heavily favoured Frankly Scarlett came away a content second into a deliberate tempo until pocket pulling just past an opening quarter, which was timed in :29.3.
"I just wanted to let everybody settle and then I'd make my move to the front after that," said trainer Steve Wiseman.
Easily getting the lead to the three-eighths mile station with the pace remaining reasonable, the seven-year-old reached the half-mile marker in :59.1. Getting a couple of wheel-disc urges past the half and one minor urge with 7/16ths of a mile to go to keep her attention, the unchallenged daughter of Little Steven-Romantic Music reached the three-quarter mile juncture in 1:29.2 while getting one urge at that point.
"I urged her once to get her going because I was just waiting for the stretch drive, which is when I was going to ask her."
With the field now late in the final turn, Wiseman got a bit of a surprise when Poor House (James Kennedy) quickly popped out of the pocket.
"I know Poor House has a wicked brush when she comes and there was a little concern because I had to get my horse in gear pretty quickly because I wasn't ready for Poor House at that point."
With the field now just approaching the seven-eighths mile pole, Poor House had reached the wheel of Frankly Scarlett. Was there reason for Wiseman to have more worries?
"No, because by the seven-eighths, my mare was in full gear. There was no concern the last eighth of a mile because she had responded very well and ended up pacing home like I thought she would."
Under urging and digging in, the Robert Bacon-owned Frankly Scarlett held firm from mid-stretch on to win ($2.40) by 1-1/2 lengths in 1:57, thus winning her fifth straight while recording her 26th career triumph. Poor House finished in second, and Lust (Lemoyne Svendsen) finished 1-1/4 lengths farther back, in third.
"She raced very good and I'm very fortunate to be able to train her and have her in my barn," concluded Wiseman.
(Cal Expo)