Susie Raisher Photo

A Freud of Mama scary good in $100K Franklin Square

by NYRA Press Office

William J. Butler's A Freud of Mama, under a patient Jorge Vargas, Jr. ride, stalked and pounced to a convincing score in Saturday's $100,000 Franklin Square at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by Mike Maker, the Freud bay arrived at the 6 1/2-furlong test for New York-bred sophomore fillies from a rallying score in the $500,000 New York Stallion Stakes Series Fifth Avenue on December 15 at the Big A.

Fierce Lady, who captured the Seeking the Ante at Saratoga Race Course in August, was sent to post as the 4-5 mutuel favorite and marked the opening quarter-mile in 22.79 seconds on the fast main track under pressure from 5-2 second-choice Big Q.

A Freud of Mama, who was squeezed at the start, advanced quickly up the backstretch and guided to the rail in third as Fierce Lady reached the half-mile in 46.52.

Vargas, Jr. saved ground until late in the turn when he angled A Freud of Mama off the rail and launched a serious bid outside the front-running duo. Big Q stayed on briefly as Fierce Lady failed to find more, but there was no catching A Freud of Mama, who bossed the field by six lengths in a final time of 1:19.15.

"Today, she really proved to me that she wants to be a good horse. I was behind horses and she was taking me places," said Vargas, Jr. "Whenever I got a seam, she went for it. I really loved it. She's still a little nervous but she's getting there. She wants to be a good horse and she's proven it. She likes coming off the pace."

Big Q completed the exacta, 2 1/4-lengths the better of Firenze Freedom. Fierce Lady, Playtone and Violent Point rounded out the order of finish. Myawawa and Ancient Brown were scratched.

Hall of Fame jockey John Velazquez said he was pleased with his trip aboard Big Q, who captured the Key Cents in November at the Big A.

"We were in a perfect position. I put a little pressure on the horse on the lead," said Velazquez. "I knew she [Fierce Lady] was a dangerous horse at the three-eighths pole, and the other one [A Freud of Mama] just passed us."

A winner at second asking on the Belmont Park turf in September, A Freud of Mama proved her class with a third-place effort in the turf Grade 3 Matron in October. Off-the-board after a rough start in the Steward Manor, A Freud of Mama rebounded at odds of 23-1 to capture a muddy renewal of the Fifth Avenue in her dirt debut.

A Freud of Mama, bred in the Empire State by her owner, banked $57,750 in victory while improving her record to 3-0-1 from six starts. She returned $12 for a $2 win ticket.

Live racing resumes on Sunday at the Big A with an eight-race card featuring the $100,000 Ladies Handicap. First post is 12:50 p.m. Eastern.