Fierce Lady fits well in open-company allowance

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The New York-bred stakes-winning filly Fierce Lady will try open company for the first time Friday when she meets six rivals in a first-level allowance race that serves as the feature on Aqueduct’s eight-race card.

Fierce Lady, a daughter of Competitive Edge owned by Nice Guys Stables and Steve Hornstock, won the Seeking the Ante Stakes at Saratoga as part of a four-race juvenile campaign in which she also finished second in two other restricted stakes. Following a brief freshening, Fierce Lady returned in the Franklin Square Stakes here Jan. 18 and finished fourth, nine lengths behind A Freud of Mama, who was winning her second consecutive stakes race.

Breaking from the rail that day on a card that was run under snowy conditions, Fierce Lady showed early speed through quick fractions before weakening. Trainer Dermot Magner said he thought speed was good early on the card, “but I don’t think speed was any good by the time her race was run.”

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Magner has opted to add blinkers to Fierce Lady’s equipment for this race. She has worked in blinkers and “she’s looked sharp,” Magner said.

Fierce Lady drew post 5 on Friday and picks up the services of Eric Cancel, who last week posted four three-win cards at Aqueduct.

“We’re hoping there’s going to be speed inside of her and Eric can just sit outside and see how the race develops,” Magner said. “They’re a competitive bunch of fillies.”

Love of My Heart made a solid dirt debut on Dec. 22, winning a maiden race by 3 3/4 lengths. The race produced two next-out winners, including Kansas Kis, who is back in this field. In that Dec. 22 race, Love of My Heart was on the pace and raced in between horses before drawing clear to an emphatic victory under apprentice Declan Carroll.

Trainer Mark Casse had Love of My Heart entered in the Ruthless Stakes on Jan. 26, but scratched her because she had a 103-degree temperature that morning. Dylan Davis has the call on Love of My Heart, who breaks from the rail Friday.

Davis had ridden Kansas Kis in her last two starts, including a maiden victory Jan. 23 in which she came wide into the lane after stalking the pace. Reylu Gutierrez rides Kansas Kis from post 3.

Leaveuwithasmile has won three of her last four starts, all at Laurel, taking the same starter allowance/optional $40,000 claiming condition on both Nov. 28 and Dec. 27. Her trainer, Jeremiah Englehart, is enduring a tough winter at Aqueduct with just one win from 40 starters entering this week.

Autonomous shortens up to six furlongs after being soundly beaten by Truth Hurts in this same condition going a mile on Jan. 5.

Ilchester Cheetah and Wicked Amber complete the field.