R Free rolls wire to wire in Honorable Miss

R Free Roll kept winging it down the stretch. La Verdad angled out a bit in

hopes of offering a challenge, but none was forthcoming. Although My Wandy's

Girl made good headway, R Free Roll was always doing enough to hold her at bay

by 1 1/4 lengths. After splashing six furlongs in 1:10, R Free Roll rewarded her

supporters with a $15 win mutuel.

"I hit her a couple of times, waiting for the other horses, but nobody came,"

Lopez recapped. "I had a lot of horse and she ran really well today."

Gargan had made no secret of the fact that R Free Roll was intent on taking

the lead.

"We knew (going to the lead) was the only way we were going to beat (La

Verdad)," the trainer said. "We took control of the race and made her have to

chase. That was the game plan, and (Averill) is a pretty smart handicapper, and

he's a pretty sharp guy to pick those things out."

Merry Meadow checked in third by a half-length from Speedinthruthecity, who

edged La Verdad by a neck for fourth. Calistoga trailed home another 7 1/2

lengths astern. Red Velvet, the only sophomore in the field, was scratched.

She would have had a top chance at a Grade 3 victory back among her own

division in the Azalea on Summit of Speed Day. But connections boldly decided to

keep her in against the boys in the Carry Back, where she tired to fifth. That

was the only unplaced effort of her three-year-old campaign. R Free Roll went on

to take the Bold World at Calder and finished second in both the Charles Town

Oaks and Sugar Swirl, missing a Grade 3 trophy by a neck in the latter.

Fourth in the January 18 Florida Sunshine Millions Filly & Mare Sprint and

third in the February 6 Awesome Feather at Gulfstream, R Free Roll later found

the winner's circle in the April 12 Hollywood Beach at the same track. Next came

her victory in the aforementioned U Can Do It, in the same free-wheeling style

on the front end, and the Honorable Miss made it three in a row.

"It's always fun when one comes in and they are doing this good," Gargan said

of recently welcoming the in-form filly to his barn.

"We've had her for about two weeks and we worked her once. Kirk (Ziadie)

pretty much told us everything that there is. It's nice having a coach like that

-- anyone can be the quarterback."

The next logical step for the Honorable Miss winner would be bidding for

Grade 1 glory in the Ballerina over seven furlongs.

"We don't know," Gargan said. "It's obviously up to the owners where the next

game is. The way she ran today with this bunch, maybe. I don't think they were

catching her late."

The Florida-bred was produced by the multiple stakes-winning Acceptable mare

Jewels n Gems, who is also responsible for the stakes-placed R Bling. Her

success at the Spa is apt, given her female line. R Free Roll's second dam is

Saratoga Campaign, and her third dam is stakes scorer Saratoga Sizzle, a

daughter of Saratoga Six who was third in the 1989 Adirondack and Spinaway.

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