NYRA/Coglianese Photo

Forgotten Hero looks for memorable effort in Saturday's Franklin Square

by Brian Bohl

Forgotten Hero will look to stay undefeated and win her second consecutive stakes start when she competes against a six-horse field in the fifth running of the $100,000 Franklin Square for New York-bred 3-year-old fillies on Saturday at Aqueduct Racetrack.

After winning her debut with a gate-to-wire 5 ½-length score in a six-furlong sprint on November 4 at the Big A, Forgotten Hero handled the step up in company by outkicking Sassy Agnes by one length on the same track and distance in the New York Stallion Series Fifth Avenue on December 15. The John Toscano, Jr. trainee will now look to go 3-for-3, competing at six furlongs again after winning over tracks labeled fast and good, respectively.

"She's very quick and has a real good second-quarter [mile time], which is her forte," said Toscano, who co-owns Forgotten Hero with Charles Festa, Jr. "Hopefully, that'll be to our advantage on Saturday."

Bred by Festa and Sequel Stallions, Forgotten Hero has been training at Belmont Park, breezing five furlongs in 1:02.02 in her last work on Tuesday.

"She's training really well," Toscano said. "Every time I've worked her, she's been blacktype [caliber]. She has a lot of talent. She's maturing, and as she does, we're just hoping she gets better and better."

In her first two wins, the Mission Impazible filly has had success as a front-runner, which her condition said best suits her style. She will again have jockey Mike Luzzi's services after the veteran rider won in each of her previous starts.

"Right now, that's her style, and we won't change anything until she shows us something needs to be changed," Toscano said.

Forgotten Hero drew post 4.

Carl Pollard's Flush will be stepping up to stakes company for the first time after a maiden-breaking 7 1/2-length score on January 11. The daughter of Violence, who was purchased for $180,000 at the 2017 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Fall Sale, earned a field-high 82 Beyer Speed Figure for that victory at Aqueduct.

Trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, Flush will break from post 6 with Junior Alvarado.

Another stakes winner in the field, Maiden Beauty, will be looking for a return trip to the winner's circle for the first time since winning the Lynbrook in her maiden effort on July 15 at Belmont.

The Revolutionary filly, trained by Gary Contessa, will be making her sixth stakes appearance in her seventh start, with her last black type coming with a second-place finish in the 6 ½-furlong Seeking the Ante on August 24 at Saratoga Race Course.

After finishing second to Shelley Ann in a one-mile optional claimer last out on January 26 at Aqueduct, Maiden Beauty will cut back in distance, drawing post 2 with Manny Franco in the irons.

"She's training great and I'm so pleased with her heading into this race," Contessa said. "She's probably better at a mile, but there's really not a mile race coming up on the horizon for her, so I figured I'd take a shot. She's good enough to get a piece and maybe the whole thing. She's training really well.

"I started training her with an eye towards cutting back to a sprint. Hopefully, when there's more horses [in the field] and the racing gets a little more definitive, I think I'll probably keep her long. To me, she appears to be a little better going long."

Rounding out the field is three additional first-time stakes starters, including Stonesintheroad, who is 2-for-2 for trainer Jeremiah Englehart, from post 3; Wadadli Princess, a maiden winner at third asking in her last start February 3 for trainer Patrick Kelly, out of post 1; and Quietude, trained by Robert Ribaudo, from post 5.

First post time for Saturday's 9-race card at Aqueduct is 12:50 p.m.