My Roxy Girl headlines Franklin Square

by Najja Thompson

Set to make her first start since capturing an allowance race on February 9, Richard Greeley's My Roxy Girl will headline a field of six in the $100,000 Franklin Square for New York-bred 3-year-old fillies on Saturday at Aqueduct Racetrack. 

A daughter of Emcee and in the care of trainer Mitch Friedman, My Roxy Girl has three wins from five career starts at the Big A. The most accomplished runner in the field with career earnings of $136,950 from eleven starts, she ended her 2017 campaign with back-to-back victories, impressively taking a claiming race on December 14 by 8 ½ lengths. She returned to finish fifth in an optional-claimer on January 19.

With jockey Junior Alvarado aboard, the pair will leave from post position 6.

Trainer Bisnath Parboo, who conditioned multiple graded stakes winner Trinniberg, will enter a formidable pair of his progeny with Trinii Ninja, for Sherry Racing, and Velvet Trinni, for Lisa's Racing.

Breaking her maiden in her ninth career start on January 27 at Aqueduct, Velvet Trinni will make her second stakes appearance after finishing fifth in the New York Stallion Series Fifth Avenue. Trinii Ninja will make her third career start and looking to break her maiden in the Franklin Square.

Drawing the rail, Velvet Trinni will be be ridden by Paco Lopez. Rafael Hernandez will have the call aboard Trinni Ninja from post 3.

Homebred Pauseforthecause is entering for Chester and Mary Broman for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. The daughter of Giant's Causeway won her debut last August at Saratoga Race Course before entering back-to-back New York stakes finishing fourth in the Seeking the Ante at the Spa and Joseph A Gimma at Belmont Park respectively. Most recently, she ran a solid fourth after stumbling at the break in an optional-claiming allowance race on January 19 at Aqueduct.

With Martin Garcia aboard, the pair will leave from post 2.

Rounding out the field is Aunt Babe for trainer James Ferraro and owner Louis Ferrari, and Beautiful Buzz for trainer Gary Gullo and owners Red Storm Stable and Gerard Stuchbury.