Scottish Lassie romps in maiden-breaking Frizette; Non Compliant stays perfect in Oak Leaf

Oct 05, 2024 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

Scottish Lassie wins the Frizette at Aqueduct

Scottish Lassie wins the Frizette at Aqueduct (Photo by Coglianese Photos / Credit to Joe Labozzeta)

Scottish Lassie and Non Compliant joined the Road to the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard with convincing stakes debuts on Saturday. After Scottish Lassie broke her maiden in a romp in the $400,000 Frizette (G1) at Aqueduct, Non Compliant justified even-money favoritism in the $200,500 Oak Leaf (G2) at Santa Anita.

Frizette (G1)

Owned by Sportsmen Stable, Parkland Thoroughbreds, Photos Finish, Corms Racing Stable, and trainer Jorge Abreu, Scottish Lassie was third as the favorite in her Sept. 1 unveiling at Saratoga.

Steve Weston of Parkland Thoroughbreds explained the rationale for taking a swing at the Frizette despite not winning that maiden.

“We all agreed that if we had won that race, what would we have done? Go to the Frizette. OK, so, let’s pretend we won and go to the Frizette,” Weston said. “If we don’t win, then we can go back and win a maiden at any time. We have nothing to lose and everything to gain.”

The boldness was rewarded when an improving Scottish Lassie delivered a tour de force performance. Although two key rivals were missing — morning-line favorite Senza Parole was an early withdrawal and The Queens M G was scratched at the gate — they would have had to be at the top of their game to deal with the winner.

“The way she ran today, she could compete with any other two-year-old in the country,” Weston summed up.

Sent off as the fourth choice at 6.50-1, Scottish Lassie was reserved in third as Social Fortress sped clear early. Jockey Jose Lezcano asked Scottish Lassie to creep closer rounding the far turn, and she stormed past Social Fortress at the top of the stretch.

Scottish Lassie drew off by nine lengths while covering the mile in 1:36.73. She paid $15 and kicked off a big-race double for hot freshman sire McKinzie, whose son Chancer McPatrick rolled in the Champagne (G1).

Aside from banking 10 points toward the Kentucky Oaks, Scottish Lassie earned a free berth in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1).

Snowyte, the 1.30-1 favorite, had to come off the rail to find running room and finished much the best of the rest. Also second in Scottish Lassie’s race at Saratoga, Snowyte picked up five points. (Note that the winner of that maiden, Quickick, just placed in the Alcibiades [G1] at Keeneland on Friday.)

Another 6 1/2 lengths back in third came Social Fortress (three points), followed by Another Cleeshay (two points) and Icona Mama (one point). Next came Whatintheliteral and Pondering. Paradise City was scratched along with the aforementioned Senza Parole and The Queens M G.

Scottish Lassie, who increased her earnings to $232,000, was giving Abreu his first graded stakes victory as a trainer.

“It was more important to me for Titi to win this,” Weston said. “He’s such a good person and he’s an incredible horseman.”

Bred by Winchester Farm in Kentucky, Scottish Lassie initially sold for $50,000 as a Keeneland September yearling before going to her current connections for $85,000 at OBS in March. The dark bay is out of the Bodemeister mare Bodebabe, who hails from the family of Grade 1 winners Visionaire and Tara’s Tango.

Oak Leaf (G2)

Jockey Juan Hernandez had his pick of the Bob Baffert runners in the Oak Leaf. His choice of Non Compliant was vindicated as she handed Baffert his 13th Oak Leaf trophy and spearheaded a trifecta for the barn.

Stretching out to two turns in the wake of a sharp debut score Aug. 31 at Del Mar, Non Compliant readily overtook pacesetting stablemate Nooni. The daughter of freshman sire Tiz the Law drove to a 2 1/4-length decision and negotiated 1 1/16 miles in 1:45.08.

Non Compliant, like Scottish Lassie, received 10 Oaks points along with a free ticket to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.

Runner-up Nooni (five points) was in turn 8 1/4 lengths ahead of Tenma (three points), emphatically reversing the result of the Del Mar Debutante (G1). Nooni had retreated to fifth that day behind the victorious Tenma, but she was back in form here.

In the Air Tonight (two points) crossed the wire in fourth, trailed by Showers (one point) and Om N Joy. Jack’s Magic Girl, cross-entered to Sunday’s Surfer Girl (G3), and Rio del Sol were scratched.

Non Compliant sports a 2-for-2 mark with earnings of $165,000. The bay was most recently purchased for $150,000 at Fasig-Tipton Midlantic in May by John Rogitz, who campaigns the filly in partnership with Georgia Antley Hunt and Jeff Giglio.

Out of the Street Sense mare Sensitively, Non Compliant was bred in Kentucky by Ashview Farm and Old Oak Farm.

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