Biogio's Rose Stakes anyone's race

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – It will be hard to have much confidence in any of the six New York-bred fillies and mares entered in Sunday’s $100,000 Biogio’s Rose Stakes at Aqueduct. So, if you have a strong opinion, go with it.

Lucky Move is the most accomplished of the group, having won both the Empire Distaff and Bay Ridge Stakes in her last two starts against New York-breds. But the one-turn mile figures to be a bit short for the 7-year-old, and the inability to race on Lasix – all stakes races run on this circuit are run without the anti-bleeding medication – also could be problematic.

:: Bet horse racing on DRF Bets. Double Your First Deposit Up to $250. Join Now.

Firenze Freedom finished last of four, 2 3/4 lengths behind Lucky Move, in the Bay Ridge on Dec. 13. That was Firenze Freedom’s first start at 1 1/8 miles and around two turns. Sunday, she is cutting back to a one-turn mile, the configuration of her first-level allowance win at Belmont in October.

Trainer Kelly Breen actually didn’t think Firenze Freedom ran that poorly in the Bay Ridge. She hasn’t raced since because Breen said he couldn’t find the appropriate spot. He is adding blinkers to Firenze Freedom.

“To me, she’s just getting better,” Breen said. “I think her last race was one of her best races, although we didn’t make much money. She was doing a little too much looking around. That’s why we’re putting the blinkers on her.”

Firenze Freedom, a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Firenze Fire, will break from the rail under Trevor McCarthy.

While he awaits the return of stakes winner Mrs. Orb to his stable, trainer Mike Miceli will send out Love and Love in the Biogio’s Rose. She has won the last two times she faced statebreds on fast dirt tracks, both going a mile. However, she was beaten handily in open first-level allowance races in her last two starts.

Miceli believes Love and Love is better when Dylan Davis puts her into the race early.

“Every time she’s real close, she’ll run a good race,” Miceli said. “The last time, Dylan took her back, which were the orders, and sat with a lot of horse on the outside, but then when he asked her to run she failed to respond. I guess if she breaks good we should be near the front.”

Love and Love breaks from post 2.

Espresso Shot won a division of the New York Stallion Series going seven furlongs here on Nov. 22. Most recently, she finished third behind Mrs. Orb and Sharp Starr in the four-horse La Verdad Stakes, a race run over a muddy track.

Espresso Shot has been training at the Palm Meadows training center in Florida and worked five furlongs in 1:00 on Feb. 20, the fastest of 35 moves at the distance.

Critical Value hasn’t won since she took the Bouwerie Stakes at Belmont last June 28. Trainer Jeremiah Englehart is adding blinkers to her equipment.

Wasp, a daughter of American Pharoah trained by Todd Pletcher, makes her stakes debut and first start since winning a first-level New York-bred allowance on Dec. 31. She will have Javier Castellano riding from post 6.