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2023 Frizette Stakes at a Glance
Racing
The Frizette Stakes is the premier New York prep race for the NetJets Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies and has served as a launching pad to stardom for 2-year-old fillies since long before the inception of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships in 1984. Thus, the 2023 Frizette would be a terrific addition to the resume of any of the juvenile fillies in the field.
All six of the entrants in this year’s Frizette are coming off a win, and three of them coming off a victory in their first-career race. Could we see a coming-out party for a new budding star filly Saturday at Aqueduct? Let’s take a closer look at the entrants for the Grade 1 Frizette.
1. Irish Maxima (9-2 morning-line odds): She enters the race off back-to-back front-running wins at Parx Racing and Pimlico. This is a significant step up in class and her speed figures look a little light on paper, but Irish Maxima appears to be the lone speed. They say pace makes the race and the controlling speed is always dangerous.
JOCKEY: Jairo Rendon TRAINER: John Servis
2. Life Talk (9-5): After a runner-up finish in her debut, she aced her second start when stretching out to a mile Aug. 31 at Saratoga, where she pulled away to win by 6 ½ lengths. With a pair of strong recent workouts for an elite trainer-jockey tandem, Life Talk is a top win candidate and very likely will vie for favoritism.
JOCKEY: Irad Ortiz Jr. TRAINER: Todd Pletcher
3. Princess Indy (15-1): Soundly defeated when unplaced in the Grade 3 Adirondack Stakes in August at Saratoga, she returned with a determined stakes win at Monmouth Park when stretching out to a mile later that month. Speed figures indicate she will need to improve significantly, but she appeared to relish this distance.
JOCKEY: Jaime Torres TRAINER: Claudio Gonzalez
4. Central Avenue (10-1): Overcame a slow start to win her debut by half a length Aug. 31 at Colonial Downs. Well-bred Godolphin homebred might be a bit overlooked here and she appears capable of a mild upset. The pick.
JOCKEY: Javier Castellano TRAINER: Mike Stidham
5. Just F Y I (3-1): Needed every step of the Saratoga stretch to win her debut by a head on Aug. 26. Like Central Avenue above, she comes from a classy family and should handle the added distance for a Hall of Fame trainer.
JOCKEY: Junior Alvarado TRAINER: Bill Mott
6. Emery (2-1): A dominant 5 ¾-length debut winner on a muddy track Aug. 30 at Saratoga. Emery also was entered in Friday’s Darley Alcibiades Stakes at Keeneland, but trainer Brad Cox opted instead to start her in the Frizette and she probably will compete for favoritism with Life Talk in the short field.
JOCKEY: Manny Franco TRAINER: Brad Cox
THE PICK: Central Avenue
LIVE LONGSHOT: Central Avenue
SUPERFECTA: 4-5-2-1