(from Hollywod Park report)
Life by R R, the last horse entered in the name of the late Hall of Fame trainer Bobby Frankel, scored a front-running victory under Alex Solis at Hollywood Park Nov 18.
She was saddled and officially ran in the name of Humberto Ascanio, Frankel’s assistant of more than 30 years.
Life by R R was entered the day before Frankel, 68, died Nov. 16 due to complications from lymphoma.
World renowned for developing many of the sport’s best horses the last two decades, the native of Brooklyn was known as the “King of the Claimers” early in his career of more than 40 years. Life by R R was claimed for a partnership by trainer Doug O’Neill for $25,000.
Ascanio, who has had several winners in his own name, saddled many more on behalf of his boss over the last three decades.
“I’m gonna miss him, he was a good person,” Ascanio said. “I’m not Bobby, but I learned a lot from him. It was a long run. He made my life better, he made sure all my family is okay. All his help . . . he made sure everybody around him had a good life. He’ll be missed.”
Life by R R, a 3-year-old chestnut filly, covered 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:16.27 while winning for the second time in nine starts. She paid $5 as the 3-2 betting favorite.
In the day’s $40,000 feature, John and Cheryl Toffan’s Asanti moved to the lead at the top of the stretch and hung on to win by a half-length under Garrett Gomez. The victory was her third in seven 2009 starts.
Asanti is a daughter of Skimming, a horse Frankel trained and Gomez rode to win consecutive runnings of the Pacific Classic (gr. I) in 2000 and 2001 at Del Mar.
