Joe Labozzetta Photo

Fierce Lady fired up for $100K Franklin Square

by Najja Thompson

Following a successful sophomore campaign highlighted by a stakes victory in the Seeking the Ante in August at Saratoga Race Course, Fierce Lady will make her 2020 debut in Saturday's $100,000 Franklin Square for New York-bred sophomore fillies going 6 ½ furlongs at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Purchased for $75,000 at the Keeneland September Sale, the Competitive Edge filly in the care of conditioner Dermot Magner made her debut in June at Belmont Park at odds of 4-1 and bested a field of eight by six lengths.

Making the leap to stakes competition in the Stillwater at Saratoga, she led from the break and gave a game effort before falling a nose short to My Italian Rabbi at the wire. Fierce Lady rebounded to win the Seeking the Ante on August 23 at the Spa and closed out her sophomore season with a second-place finish in the Joseph A. Gimma on September 18 at Belmont Park.

Magner said he is looking forward to her return following a four-month break.

"She had a very productive 2-year-old campaign and we were proud of her," said Magner. "We sent her to the farm following the [Joseph A] Gimma just to give her a break and she returned to us in December. She's worked three times since then and they've all been good efforts so we're looking forward to her return on Saturday."

Ridden by Hall of Famer Javier Castellano in each of her previous four starts, Fierce Lady, who is owned by Nice Guys Stables and Steve Hornstock, will have a new pilot aboard in Manny Franco when they leave from the inside post.

"We're happy to have Manny with us for this race," said Magner. "He's worked her previously in the spring and has been aboard for her works heading into this race, so I'm confident the two will get along. We'll figure out our best strategy following the draw."

Looking to rebound from a sixth-place finish in the NYSSS Fifth Avenue is Big Q for DutchessViews Farm.

The Big Brown filly won her debut on July 11 at Saratoga and subsequently ran fifth in the Grade 2 Adirondack. Returning to face New York-breds in the Seeking the Ante, she was fanned five-wide to finish fifth before bouncing back with a five-length win in the Key Cents on November 16 at Aqueduct.

Last out, Big Q was off-the-board when leaving from the inside post in a muddy renewal of the NYSSS Fifth Avenue on December 15 at the Big A.

"In the last race, I don't know if she handled the track real well," said conditioner Gary Gullo. "They are expecting snow and rain again, so I don't know what's going to happen there, but I'm going to run regardless. I think she'll run real well."

With Hall of Famer John Velazquez aboard, Big Q will leave from post 2.

In search of her second consecutive New York-bred stakes win is A Freud of Mama, for owner William J. Butler and trainer Mike Maker.

The Freud filly made her first four career stats on the turf, including a third-place finish in the Grade 3 Matron last October at Belmont. Following a sixth-place finish in the Stewart Manor on November 10 at Aqueduct, A Freud of Mama won the NYSSS Fifth Avenue, at seven furlongs on the main track, at odds of 22-1 by 1 ¼ lengths.

Drawing post 7, A Freud of Mama will be ridden by Jorge Vargas, Jr.

Rounding out the field is Firenze Freedom for Mr. Amore Stable and trainer Jason Servis (post 3, Jose Lezcano); Myawaya for trainer Todd Pletcher and Lianna Stables (post 4, Kendrick Carmouche);Violent Point for conditioner Mark Casse and owner Gary Barber (post 5, Junior Alvarado); Ancient Brown for trainer David Donk (post 6, Eric Cancel); and Playtone for Jim and Susan Hill and conditioner George Weaver (post 8, Hector Diaz, Jr.).

The Franklin Square is slated as Race 7 on Saturday's nine-race card, which also features the Grade 3, $150,000 Toboggan in Race 8. First post is 12:30 p.m. Eastern.