Baby Boss ($48.80) upsets Park Avenue

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Saturday didn’t get off to a great start for trainer Jeremiah Englehart as he received a call that his 3-year-old Nine Route was ordered scratched from a five-horse field in the $100,000 Woodhaven Stakes at Aqueduct by the track veterinarian due to some concern over the colt’s knee.

But the day got progressively better for the 41-year-old trainer.

Englehart won three races on the Aqueduct program, capped by a front-running, 23-1 upset by Baby Boss in the $100,000 Park Avenue division of the New York Stallion Series for 3-year-old fillies. The win was the fourth on the card for jockey Manny Franco; three of them came for Englehart.

The victory by Baby Boss ($48.80), coupled with a win earlier on the card by Vip Nation ($127.50), trained by Gary Contessa, triggered carryovers in both the late pick 5 and pick 6 into Sunday.

The pick 5 carryover (on races 6 thru 10) is $48,700. That wager is available only to those with a NYRA Bets account or those who wager at a New York track or simulcast facility. The pick 6 carryover is $18,071 and available to all bettors. As Sunday is closing day for the Aqueduct meet, there is a mandatory payout in both pools.

Baby Boss, a daughter of Frost Giant, won a maiden $40,000 claiming race on Jan. 27 and was beaten a neck by Our Super Nova in a first-level allowance race on March 11.

“Manny was really made last time. We were going to win and she hung a little, which wasn’t like her,” Englehart said from Ocala, Fla., where he is preparing for the horse auction that starts Tuesday.

“I don’t know if it was an experience thing with her or what. I know he stayed aggressive with her today because he knew what happened with her last race.”

Pure Silver, the even-money favorite, looked like the primary speed of the race, but she didn’t break sharp. Baby Boss did break alertly and shot to the lead. She was tracked by My Roxy Girl through splits of 22.76 seconds, and a half-mile in 46.20.

Coming to the top of the lane, My Roxy Girl and Orchid Party drew on even terms with Baby Boss, but Franco shook his filly up and she spurted away. My Roxy Girl persevered through the stretch, but she didn’t change leads as Baby Boss won by a length. It was a length back to third-place finisher Orchid Party.

Baby Boss, a daughter of Frost Giant owned by Neal Alread, covered the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:16.85.

“One thing about her, she’s a fighter,” said Englehart, who also saddled sixth-place finisher Wegetsdamunnys.

Franco noted that in Baby Boss’s maiden win she stumbled at the break. Last time out, when she finished second, Franco took her off the pace going a mile.

“Today she broke sharp and I just left her there and she responded pretty well for me,” Franco said. “I feel the pressure a little bit [in the stretch] but I knew I had horse under me.”

Franco and Englehart also teamed to win the opener with Hay Field ($8.70) and the sixth with Spa Shackalacka ($7.70). Franco also won race 2 for Bill Mott on Catcho En Die ($4.30).