Talented but green Life Talk moves on to Frizette

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Life Talk brings experience, a win at the distance, and the backing of solid connections into Saturday’s Grade 1, $400,000 Frizette Stakes at Aqueduct.

A daughter of Gun Runner, Life Talk has displayed signs of greenness in her first two starts, both at Saratoga. In her 6 1/2-furlong debut on July 30, she was beaten a head by Alys Beach in a race where she lost position at the start and had to rally wide yet still looked like a winner in deep stretch only to get denied on the wire.

In her second start, going a mile out of the Wilson chute, Life Talk again made a wide move on the turn, veered in several paths under Irad Ortiz Jr., yet still drew clear to win emphatically. Two horses she beat that day, Backstretch Rose (second) and Paradise Lane (fourth), lost their next starts, but improved their Beyer Speed Figures 9 and 13 points, respectively.

“I thought she made improvement in her second start,” said Todd Pletcher, a four-time winner of the Frizette. “She was one we always thought the further the better. I think she’s figuring things out as she’s going along.”

Pletcher believes Life Talk’s veering in during the stretch run of her second start “was more Irad than her,” he said.

The Frizette, run at one mile, offers a fees-paid berth into the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies on Nov. 3 at Santa Anita. In 2018, Jaywalk won the Frizette and then the Juvenile Fillies.

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Jaywalk was trained by John Servis, who on Saturday sends out Irish Maxima, who is 2 for 2. Irish Maxima displayed immaturity in her debut win at Parx Racing going 5 1/2 furlongs, but was better in her second start, a first-level allowance win at Pimlico going six furlongs.

Irish Maxima is by first-year sire Maximus Mischief, who had his 20th juvenile winner of this year when Woke Up Quick won a maiden turf race here Wednesday. Maximus Mischief won the Grade 2 Remsen here in 2018.

“She ran pretty green first time, second time she was a little more mature, but she’s all right,” Servis said. “I’m happy with her where she’s at, it’s going to be a big test for her, we’ll see what we got.”

Asked how she might compare to Jaywalk, Servis said, “She’s got Jaywalk-kind-of-speed, whether she can carry that or not we’ll find out. Looks-wise, no comparison. Jaywalk was feminine, not really a big filly. This filly looks like a colt.”

Jairo Rendon will be in from Parx to ride Irish Maxima, who drew the rail for the second time in three starts.

There is rain in the forecast Saturday, and Emery has already proven the ability to handle a sealed, muddy surface winning her debut at Saratoga by 5 3/4 lengths. She was expected to scratch out of Friday’s Grade 1 Alcibiades at Keeneland for this spot.

Trainer Brad Cox said Emery displayed talent in the mornings training this summer at Churchill Downs and he’s confident she can go longer being by the dam Athena, a listed stakes winner at a mile.

“I think she’ll stretch, she doesn’t pull, she’s a very kind filly,” Cox said.

Emery will break from post 6 under Manny Franco.

Just F Y I was a determined head winner of her six-furlong debut at Saratoga, getting up in the final strides while galloping out a like a filly that will appreciate more ground.

Junior Alvarado rides for Bill Mott from post 5.

Princess Indy, a daughter of Lord Nelson trained by Claudio Gonzalez, has won two of her first three starts, including the Sorority Stakes last out. In her second start, she finished fifth behind Brightwork in the Grade 3 Adirondack Stakes at Saratoga in August.

Jaime Torres rides from post 3.

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Central Avenue rallied from last under Antonio Gallardo to win a seven-furlong maiden race at first asking for trainer Michael Stidham and Godolphin Racing. Perfectly Wicked, the runner-up from that race, did come back to win her maiden on Sept. 29 at Laurel Park.

The Frizette goes as race 5 (2:12 p.m. Eastern) on Saturday’s 11-race card.

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