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​Shesawildjoker brings class to $100K Franklin Square

by Ryan Martin

Joseph Bucci’s stakes winner Shesawildjoker brings a consistent ledger to her seasonal debut in Saturday’s eighth running of the $100,000 Franklin Square for New York-bred sophomore fillies going 6 1/2-furlongs at Aqueduct Racetrack. 

In the money in 4-of-5 lifetime starts with field best earnings of $102,750, Shesawildjoker enters from a third-place finish in the six-furlong Key Cents on November 21 at the Big A, where she rounded out the trifecta at 38-1 odds behind unbeaten Classy Edition.

“She gave a good account of herself last time and I think she does the same here,” trainer David Donk said. “It’s probably a pretty wide open affair, but it's a good spot for us.”

Shesawildjoker, a Practical Joke chestnut, defeated subsequent stakes-winner November Rein in her June 18 debut at Belmont Park before a distant eighth in the Grade 2 Adirondack two months later at Saratoga Race Course. 

She returned to action over a muddy Belmont main track when third in the seven-furlong Joseph A. Gimma in September before becoming a stakes-winner in the six-furlong Shesastonecoldfox on October 25 over sloppy and sealed going at Finger Lakes. 

Shesawildjoker has rated off the pace in her last two starts, which Donk said he would like to see more of moving forward. 

“She ran well at Finger Lakes. She rated a bit for the first time so that’s what we’re trying to do with her,” Donk said. “If there’s some pace in the race, I’d like to get her to settle a bit. If she’s in a spot where she’s lone speed then great - but if not, she needs to learn how to rate.”

Bred by Three Diamonds Farm, Shesawildjoker is out of the two-time winning Speightstown mare Tarquinia. She was bought for $80,000 out of the Bluewater Sales consignment at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Jorge Vargas, Jr. will pick up the mount in pursuit of his second Franklin Square win from post 2. 

Merrylegs Farm’s homebred Thinking It Over will make her stakes debut for trainer Ray Handal. 

The Overanalyze bay was victorious at first asking over muddy going when entered for the main-track only in an off-the-turf maiden special weight for state-bred fillies on November 12 at Aqueduct. After exiting the outermost post 11, Thinking It Over settled in third down the backstretch before battling with Bank On Anna in upper stretch and inching away to a 1 1/4-length victory. 

“She’s been very professional,” Handal said. “She trains like a good thing. She’s speedy, she’s quick from the gate. The race has come up wicked tough, but she’s as good as anything else going in there.”

Dylan Davis will return aboard Thinking It Over from the outermost post 9. 

Owner William J. Butler and trainer Mike Maker will seek their second collaborative Franklin Square victory after 2019 winner A Freud of Mama when sending out fellow Freud progeny Flip My Id, who makes her main track debut. 

The homebred bay, out of the City Zip mare I’m Gonna Flip, was unplaced in her previous trio of starts at stakes level, arriving off a sixth in the Stewart Manor on November 6 at Belmont. Flip My Id will make her first start against fellow New York-breds since a July 5 maiden coup over the Belmont Widener turf.

Manny Franco will ride Flip My Id from post 7. 

Kingsport Farm’s Leeloo, trained by David Duggan, will attempt to build on a sharp second-out victory in a state-bred maiden special weight contested over a sloppy and sealed main track on December 11 at the Big A. 

The daughter of Practical Joke tracked to the outside of runners down the backstretch in the six-furlong sprint before collaring pacesetting favorite Celine the Queen around the far turn. She drew off in the stretch to a 7 1/4-length score over next-out winner Ribot’s Valentine. 

Leeloo, bred by Sequel Stallions NY and Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, was bought for $150,000 out of the 2020 Keeneland January Sale and is out of the Elusive Quality mare Ribbon Cutter. She comes from the family as multiple Grade 1-winner McKinzie. 

Kendrick Carmouche, a three-time stakes winner this meet, will return aboard Leeloo from post 6. 

Completing the field are Meraviglioso [post 1, Eric Cancel], Sterling Silver [post 3, Trevor McCarthy], Thin Legs [post 4, Andre Worrie], Moam [post 5, Jose Lezcano], and Sandy’s Garden [post 8, Jacqueline Davis]. 

The Franklin Square is carded as Race 8 on Saturday’s nine-race card at the Big A. First post is 12:20 p.m. Eastern.

America’s Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the winter meet at Aqueduct Racetrack on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the winter meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.