Velasquez sweeps both stakes for 2-year-olds

Jockey Cornelio Velasquez made his first visit to Finger Lakes a memorable one by winning both of the six-figure stakes for 2-year-olds on the Labor Day holiday card.

Velasquez guided Franny Freud ($3.00) to a 3 1/2-length score in the $150,662 Lady Finger for 2-year-old New York-bred fillies and confidently rode Ibboyee ($5.20) from off the pace to a 6 1/4-length romp in the $150,900 Aspirant for 2-year-old statebred colts and geldings. It was his first time aboard both horses.

In the Lady Finger, Franny Freud, coming off a win over Woodbine's Polytrack in the Ontario Deburante, contested the pace set by 3-2 second choice Hook Me Up, shook clear in midstretch, and drew clear while completing six furlongs on a fast track in 1:11.84. A daughter of Freud trained by John Terranova, Franny Freud is now 3 for 4 lifetime with two wins apiece on dirt and Polytrack.

Hook Me Up easily held second, 4 1/4 lengths in front of Future Footnotes, a 91-1 longshot who put a neck in front of 37-1 Mystic City for third.

One race later, Velasquez sat in fifth early with second-time starter Ibboyee. He went after dueling pacesetters Dahlgren Chapel and Persian Ruler in midstretch, and was much the best to the wire. The winning time was 1:11.18.

Ibboyee, a son of Medalist trained by Todd Pletcher, won his career debut at Saratoga a month ago by a nose.