Aqueduct: My Mane Squeeze stalks early, wins Franklin Square

My Mane Squeeze stalked and pounced to a comfortable score in Sunday’s $100,000 Franklin Square Stakes, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for New York-bred 3-year-old fillies at Aqueduct.

Bred and owned by William Butler, trained by Mike Maker and piloted by Jose Lezcano, the Audible bay successfully cut back in distance from a victory in the one-turn mile Maid of the Mist against fellow state-breds at the Big A on Oct. 29.

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“I was jumping up and down, and I’m not sure I saw it all,” Butler said. “I can’t say a whole hell of a lot except I love it, and I’m praying that from what I’ve seen from her, it’s not the bottom of her yet. I’ve got my fingers crossed.”

Cara’s Time, runner-up last out in the Maid of the Mist, dueled for the early lead with Flight Control, and Trevor McCarthy-piloted Bernietakescharge kept watch to their outside in third position through an opening quarter-mile in 22.63 seconds over the fast main track.

Flight Control, a debut winner last month, took over from a fading Cara’s Time into the turn with Bernietakescharge pressing and My Mane Squeeze advancing into third position through a half-mile in 46.76 seconds.

My Mane Squeeze had all the momentum as the field straightened, putting a head in front at the stretch call as Bernietakescharge battled gamely to her inside.

My Mane Squeeze took command for good inside the final sixteenth and powered home a 1 1/4-length winner over Bernietakescharge with a final time of 1:18.76.

It was a farther 10 1/4 lengths back to Tricky Temper, last-out winner of the state-bred Key Cents at Aqueduct who arrived late to best fourth-place Flight Control by a head. Sweet Brown Sugar and Cara’s Time rounded out the order of finish. Soloshot and Unicorn Cake were scratched.

Lezcano, aboard My Mane Squeeze for the first time in the afternoon, said he felt confident throughout.

“She broke very good, and I got a chance to put her outside in the clear. She traveled very comfortable,” Lezcano said. “In the stretch I asked her to go on, and she gave me what she’s got.

“I was feeling good. In the clear, she jumped on the bridle and was galloping pretty nice. When I really had to ask her, I had plenty of horse and plenty of gas in the tank.”

McCarthy has piloted Domenick Schettino-trained Bernietakescharge through her last three outings including a fourth in the Maid of the Mist and a win last out in a state-bred, optional-claiming sprint Dec. 14. She graduated impressively in August at Saratoga with a prominent, 8 1/2-length romp under Katie Davis.

“Everything set up perfect the way we wanted it to, and I knew that Maker horse was the horse to beat in this race,” McCarthy said. “I knew (Bernietakescharge) would give a really good effort, and she had a really great work the other day.

“The way she broke her maiden, I’ve been impressed with her. She’s just been developing real well, and she was a little green her first couple starts, but she’s really turning around, and she’s going to be a nice filly this winter.”

My Mane Squeeze graduated at second asking traveling six furlongs in a state-bred, maiden sprint Sept. 1 at Saratoga. Out of the winning Speightstown mare In Spite of Mama, My Mane Squeeze is a half-sister to Maker-trained Rotknee, a graded-stakes-placed homebred for Butler.

Sent to post as the 8-5 mutuel favorite, My Mane Squeeze banked $55,000 in victory and improved her record to 5: 3-0-2. She returned $5.20 for a $2 win bet.