BY LAUREL PARK PRESS OFFICE (Edited)
LAUREL, MD—After Frustrated won his career debut in 1:10 flat, the fastest six-furlong dirt race of the current meet, the Florida-bred son of Maclean’s Music made it two-for-two with another strong performance in Saturday’s eighth race at Laurel, a six-furlong allowance for eight 3-year-olds and older.
In addition to earning the $29,400 winner’s share of the $50,755 purse, Frustrated booked a $3,000 Export Incentive for breeders John and Leslie Malone’s Bridlewood Farm located in Ocala, Florida. The Export Incentive was earned with allowance victory run outside the Sunshine State and is paid directly by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association.
Frustrated sat in the pocket, then altered course to the outside, driving clear to win by four-and-three-quaters lengths ahead of stablemate Surgical Precision.
He ran six furlongs Saturday in 1:10.19.
“This horse can be anything, huh?” trainer Brittany Russell asked. “I think Surgical was doing exceptional going into this. We expected Surgical to run well and when [Frustrated] ran by Surgical, it was like he was out for a gallop. Breaking from the rail, it would have been just as easy to go on with it. Each test, he might not be the fastest horse next time, so it’s nice to know he can sit in the pocket.”
“He was more alert during the warm-up today,” jockey Sheldon Russell added. “He broke better, so I decided to put him down on the rail. He saw an opening, and it was like his cue to go. I tried to get him to relax, but I couldn’t really switch him off. Every race, he’s got to keep learning.”
Frustrated is out of Embur’s Zip, by City Zip and his second dam, the Unbridled’s Song mare Embur’s Song, was a multiple Grade 3 winner on synthetic tracks. He has earned $57,600 in his two starts.
A $235,000 Keeneland September yearling buyback, Frustrated was purchased by Mike Repole’s Repole Stable for $425,000 last year at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale of 2-year-olds in training out of the Hoppel consignment.
Frustrated breezed once for trainer Pletcher at Monmouth before being laid up and transferred to Russell.
“Since we got him, he hasn’t had a bad day,” Brittany Russell said. “He’s been up at Fair Hill with my team. Emma [assistant trainer Wolfe] has done a fantastic job with him, and from day one she said he was a racehorse.”
Return to the November 14 issue of Wire to Wire
