Sheriffa, Threehailmary’s square off again in Biogio’s Rose

December 10, 2019

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Multiple stakes winners Sheriffa and Saythreehailmary's face each other for the first time in 2016 on Sunday at Aqueduct Racetrack as they head a field of six New York-bred fillies and mares in the $100,000 Biogio's Rose at 1 1/16 miles.

Saythreehailmary's, trained by John Morrison for the Very Un Stable, enters the Biogio's Rose off consecutive stakes victories, having closed out her 4-year-old campaign with a 1 ¼-length win over Sheriffa in the Bay Ridge and opened this year with a solid open company triumph in the Ladies on January 10, in which she carried 115 pounds.

Sunday, the daughter of Repent will carry co-high weight of 121 pounds, including Manny Franco, when she leaves from post position 2 as the 2-1 morning-line favorite.

The Biogio's Rose will mark the fifth meeting between Saythreehailmary's and Sheriffa in the past 12 months, having met four times last year with the score tied at 2-all. In addition to the Bay Ridge, Saythreehailmary's scored a 2 ½-length allowance win over Sheriffa in May at Belmont Park, while the Linda Rice-trained Sheriffa defeated Saythreehailmary's in the Critical Eye in May and in a division of the New York Stallion Series in November at the Big A.

Most recently, Sheriffa finished a non-threatening fifth in an optional claimer on January 14. Cornelio Velasquez has the return mount aboard the Posse mare, who is listed as the 3-1 second choice on the morning line. The pair will leave from the rail.

Also expected to attract support is Perfect Freud, a winner of three of her past our starts. Trained by Gary Sciacca, the 4-year-old Freud filly will be making a return to stakes company after back-to-back victories in an allowance and an optional claimer at the Big A. In her two stakes starts in 2015, she was second and sixth in divisions of the New York Stallion Series at Belmont Park and Saratoga.

Kendrick Carmouche will ride Perfect Freud, 4-1 on the morning line, from post position 5.

Rounding out the field are Storied Lady, second to Perfect Freud last time out; In Spite of Mama, an impressive seven-length winner of an optional claimer on January 8; and Jc's Shooting Star, third as the favorite behind In Spite of Mama in that race.