Bank Frenzy aims to profit in Haynesfield
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OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Bank Frenzy, coming off what his connections believe was a career-best performance in the Stymie Stakes last month, seeks his fourth consecutive victory when he returns to New York-bred competition in Sunday’s $125,000 Haynesfield Stakes at Aqueduct.
The Haynesfield, at a mile, shares billing with the $125,000 Biogio’s Rose, for fillies and mares at a mile, on a 10-race card that begins at 1:10 p.m.
Since being purchased privately by LSU Stables last spring and turned over to trainer Rudy Rodriguez, Bank Frenzy has four wins and two seconds from six starts. The victories on his current three-race streak all came in one-turn-mile races, including the Stymie, when he was pinched at the start and rallied from sixth to win by 3 1/2 lengths.
“To me, that was the best race he ever ran,” Rodriguez said. “I don’t really think about the numbers, but the way he did it, he really, really impressed me, because from the five-eighths pole he was really in control of the race.”
Rodriguez said Bank Frenzy came out of the race “fresh” and has trained forwardly in the interim.
“He’s ready to go. He’s acting like he’s looking for some competition,” Rodriguez said. “He’s going to have to show up.”
Bank Frenzy, a son of Central Banker, is 4 for 4 over a wet track, conditions that might be in play Sunday. The only negative for Bank Frenzy is he has to break from the rail under Manny Franco in this seven-horse field.
“He broke from the rail a couple of times already,” Rodriguez said. “The good thing is we don’t need to be on the lead right now. There’s a couple of horses with speed outside. I’ll let Manny decide what he wants to do.”
Trainer Linda Rice has entered the uncoupled pair of Sheriff Bianco and Wynstock, the latter a horse previously trained by Bob Baffert who won the Los Alamitos Futurity at 2 and the Los Alamitos Derby at 3. Sheriff Bianco was cross-entered in Saturday’s Grade 2 Carter, but Rice on Friday seemed to be leaning toward the Haynesfield.
Rice acknowledged that Sheriff Bianco may be better going seven furlongs, “but that doesn’t mean he can’t run a mile,” she said.
Wynstock, a son of Solomini, hasn’t been out since he finished last of seven in the Grade 2 Twilight Derby on turf last Oct. 26.
“He might need a race,” Rice said. “This is a good place to get him started. I’m happy with the way he’s come along. I broke him from the gate the other day and was happy with that, but he probably will need a race.”
General Banker is coming off a solid second-level allowance win going a mile. Completing the field are Radio Red, an open allowance winner at Aqueduct last out; Just Step On It, an allowance winner at Parx last out; and Locke and Key, fourth in the Say Florida Sandy Stakes.
Biogio’s Rose
Bernietakescharge, like Bank Frenzy, is coming off a career-best performance winning the Heavenly Prize Stakes on Feb. 23. Now she returns to state-bred company in a compact field of five in the Biogio’s Rose.
Bernietakescharge has won her last two against open company, both in front-running fashion and at one mile. But it was the way she drew off in the Heavenly Prize after battling on the lead that impressed trainer Dominick Schettino.
“When I saw that 46-second half and the track being as deep as it was, and she drew off like that, it was a good surprise,” Schettino said. “They pressed her up front and she just drew off.”
The potential negative for Bernietakescharge is the only race where she has run over a sloppy track was the Bouwerie last June at Saratoga, where she finished fifth behind Landed. Schettino felt there was moisture in the track in January 2024 when Bernietakescharge finished second to My Mane Squeeze in the Franklin Square.
“If we don’t get a heavy rain and it’s like a tight, good track, we should be fine,” Schettino said.
Sweet Brown Sugar, who ran a solid second at 10-1 in the Broadway Stakes, is 3 for 3 over a wet track. The Broadway defeat snapped a three-race win streak that included a seven-length victory in the Jack Betta Be Rite Stakes going 1 1/16 miles at Finger Lakes last October for trainer Paul Barrow.
A victory in the Biogio’s Rose would put Sterling Silver over the $1 million mark in career earnings. Though most of her success has come sprinting, Sterling Silver won the Johnstone Mile at Saratoga last summer and was second in both the Empire Distaff at 1 1/8 miles and Bay Ridge going a mile in her last two races. Javier Castellano rides for Bill Mott.
Caldwell Luvs Gold, who won the New York Oaks going 1 1/16 miles at Finger Lakes last summer, and Khali Magic, a statebred allowance winner going a mile here on Feb. 27, complete the field.
The Biogio’s Rose, with only five runners, is the fourth race on the card.
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