Franklin Square Stakes right in Stonewall Star's wheelhouse

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Back with New York-breds, over a track at which she has already won twice, and a slight shortening up in distance could be a recipe for success for Stonewall Star in Sunday’s $100,000 Franklin Square Stakes at Aqueduct.

Stonewall Star, a daughter of Flatter owned by Barry Schwartz and trained by Horacio De Paz, is coming off a third-place finish behind the undefeated Malibu Moonshine in the Gin Talking Stakes at Laurel Park on Dec. 30.

“She ran well,” De Paz said. “She was pressed the entire way and just came up short.”

The Gin Talking was run at seven furlongs. The Franklin Square is at 6 1/2 furlongs.

Prior to the Gin Talking, Stonewall Star made her first four starts against New York-breds, recording two wins, both at Aqueduct, a second against fillies, and a third against males in the New York Breeders’ Futurity at Finger Lakes. Stonewall Star came out of that race to win the Key Cents against statebred fillies by four lengths here on Nov. 26.

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Stonewall Star, who is running back in three weeks, likely figures a forward factor breaking from the outside post under Kendrick Carmouche.

Banterra, a daughter of Practical Joke from the Steve Asmussen barn, has won two of her last three starts, though both were over wet tracks. Banterra’s one loss in her last three came in the Maid of the Mist Stakes going a mile.

This turnback to 6 1/2 furlongs should be fine for Banterra, who will break from post 5 under Dylan Davis.

Linda Rice recently acquired two New York-bred fillies in Les Bon Temps and Starry Midnight. Originally, Rice was planning to run Les Bon Temps in the Franklin Square, but the filly had filling in a pastern and has been re-routed to the $100,000 Maddie May Stakes going a mile on Feb. 19.

Starry Midnight, previously trained by Jorge Abreu, overcame a slow start to rally from 10 lengths back and win her debut going 6 1/2 furlongs on Nov. 27. Rice was looking to run her in a first-level allowance race, but that didn’t fill so she opted to try this spot.

Due to Starry Midnight’s slow break in her debut, Rice worked her out of the gate on Wednesday. She went a half-mile in 48.40 seconds, the fastest of 66 works at the distance.

“She broke a little sluggishly first time out and ran very green into the dirt and came running late,” Rice said. “I was just hoping that she might come away a little better. She broke well the other day. I’m not crazy about getting the one-hole, but it is what it is.”

Little Linzee comes out of a third-place finish behind Les Bon Temps in the $500,000 Fifth Avenue division of the New York Stallion Series. Queens Masterpiece won Nov. 19 in her only start.

Security Code beat Stonewall Star in a maiden race at Saratoga, but was third behind that rival in the Key Cents. Lockbox, with a win and a third from two starts, completes the field.

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