La Fuerza has right numbers in Aspirant Stakes field
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLE
La Fuerza has been favored in his three starts and that will likely happen again Saturday in the $112,850 Aspirant at Finger Lakes – even though he’s coming off his first defeat. La Fuerza is a standout based on accomplishments and Beyer Speed Figures in this six-furlong race for 2-year-olds bred in New York.
The Aspirant is one of two stakes on the card, both for New York-breds at six furlongs. The $112,388 Lady Finger is not as easy to read, with a competitive field of 2-year-old fillies that includes Saratoga maiden winners Shesasuperfreak and Jaded Lady.
La Fuerza is part of an eight-horse field, and six of his rivals are maidens. He’s the lone two-time winner in the Aspirant. He’s also the lone stakes winner in the field. His career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 64 is the best number in the race – by 19 points over the field’s next-highest Beyer of 45.
La Fuerza, a son of Flatter who ships in from Saratoga for Barry Schwartz and trainer Todd Pletcher, won at Belmont Park in his first two races. He was an odds-on choice when he debuted in a maiden special weight for statebreds June 22, and rolled by 7 3/4 lengths. He returned in the $98,000 Rockville Centre and delivered again as an odds-on favorite, winning off by 4 1/2 lengths July 14.
The sharp form sent La Fuerza to post as the favorite in the $200,000 Funny Cide on Aug. 24 at Saratoga. He broke out at the start from the widest gate, stalked the leaders, came five wide into the stretch, and ended up fifth to winner Dugout, who remained unbeaten with the win and earned a Beyer of 79. La Fuerza was assigned a Beyer of 60.
La Fuerza will break from the rail on Saturday under Chris DeCarlo.
Lady Finger
In the Lady Finger, favoritism could side with Shesasuperfreak for her 10 3/4-length debut score Aug. 15 at Saratoga. She won the maiden special weight for 2-year-old fillies on the front end, covering six furlongs in a sharp 1:10.86. The Beyer of 67 that Shesasuperfreak earned is the best career number in the Lady Finger.
Rodolfo Ignacio has the mount on Shesasuperfreak from post 2. The daughter of Shanghai Bobby races for Alexander Kazdan and is trained by Alejandro Maymo.
Jaded Lady, also by Shanghai Bobby, won a statebred maiden special weight on turf by a half-length Aug. 1 at Saratoga. She earned a Beyer of 61. Jaded Lady has since been flattered, with runner-up Tradeable returning to win a maiden special weight for statebreds on turf at Saratoga.
Jaded Lady is one of two runners in the field from the barn of trainer Jeremiah Englehart. He also sends out Ma Meatloaf, who was a maiden special weight winner in her last start June 28 at Finger Lakes. Ma Meatloaf won by 3 1/4 lengths over Jaded Lady for a Beyer of 57. Ma Meatloaf is a daughter of Stay Thirsty and the stakes-winning mare Poovey, who won 12 of 31 starts and earned $311,712.
