Franco Sweeps New York-Bred Juvenile Stakes

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Jockey Manuel Franco won both $100,000 stakes for New York-bred 2-year-olds on Nov.16 at Aqueduct Racetrack.



The races were remarkably similar. Both were front-running victories with identical 3 3/4-length margins at the finish.



Franco got the stakes double started when The Lewis Dinner bested Sandra in the Key Cents for fillies. Rudy Rodriguez trains the winner, who got her second victory in five starts, paying $9.60 to win. The time was 1:11.04 for the six furlongs.

Regal Minister improved to 2-for-2 in the Notebook, beating Breakin the Fever for an $18.40 win payoff. The colt trained by Mark Hennig was timed in 1:12.27.



Both The Lewis Dinner and Regal Minister are also by the Rockridge Stud stallion Posse  , who was credited with his 25th stakes winner when Regal Minister won the Notebook.



Michael Dubb, Bethlehem Stables, and Gary Aisquith own The Lewis Dinner, who was bred by James Lamonica, Lee Sacks, Soave Stables, and Posse Syndicate out of the Jump Start   mare Nick's Honor.



DATTT owns and bred Regal Minister, who is out of the Mr. Greeley mare Dattts Regal.