My Mane Squeeze hits the wire. (Susie Raisher)
By Keith McCalmont
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – William J. Butler’s homebred My Mane Squeeze stalked and pounced to a comfortable score in Sunday’s $100,000 Franklin Square, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for New York-bred sophomore fillies, at Aqueduct Racetrack.
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 here on October 29.
“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 as the 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 maiden 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.
My Mane Squeeze had all the momentum as the field straightened away, 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 in a final time of 1:18.76. It was a further 10 1/4-lengths back to Tricky Temper, last out winner of the state-bred Key Cents here, 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,” Lezcano added. “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 the 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 on December 14. She graduated impressively in August at Saratoga Race Course 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 she [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,” McCarthy added. “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 on September 1 at Saratoga Race Course. Out of the winning Speightstown mare In Spite of Mama, My Mane Squeeze is a half-sister to the 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 while improving her record to 5-3-0-2. She returned $5.20 for a $2 win bet.
Live racing resumes Thursday at Aqueduct with an eight-race card. First post is 12:50 p.m. Eastern.
