Jockey Manny Franco skillfully navigated Fullscreen along the rail at the second turn to clinch victory in the $150,000 Queens County Stakes, a 1 1/8-mile race for horses aged three and older at Aqueduct Racetrack. The 6-year-old Ontario-bred Big Screen gelding, trained by Brad Cox and owned by Sanford Goldfarb, Stephen Speranza, Crown Stable, and Michael Greenberg, earned his third career stakes win and first since the Lake Ontario race at Woodbine in November 2022. Fullscreen, claimed for $100,000 at Saratoga in July, now holds a 4-2 record with his current connections and boasts a career-best 100 Beyer Speed figure after a commanding six-length win at Aqueduct on November 30.
Starting from the third post, Fullscreen initially settled in third place behind the early leader Film Star, who set a brisk pace from the start, closely pursued by Cook Creek. Franco, securing his third win of the day, noted he was positioned just behind the frontrunners and capitalized as Fullscreen accelerated once the pace slowed. Film Star led by half a length over Cook Creek midway through the race, with Fullscreen closing in as the horses approached the second turn.
Franco found an opening inside the duel for the lead after three-quarters of a mile and took control, managing Fullscreen’s energy carefully before pushing forward in the stretch. Fullscreen surged ahead to take a decisive 5 1/2-length lead by the final call, cruising to a five-length victory over Cook Creek in a time of 1:51.26. Franco praised Fullscreen’s determination, noting the horse was unaffected by dirt or mud and responded strongly when given room to accelerate.
Bourbon Day finished third, followed by Cox-trained Kinetic and Film Star, while the expected front-runners struggled. Franco expressed confidence in Fullscreen’s continued development and praised trainer Brad Cox and his team for the horse’s improvement. Cook Creek’s rider, Flavien Prat, acknowledged his horse’s courage in taking second despite falling short of the lead.
Bred by Spring Farm and sired by Big Screen out of the Langfuhr mare Lindenshire, Fullscreen was initially bought for $7,281 at the 2020 CTHS Canadian Horse Yearling Sale. This win brought his record to 36 starts with 7 wins, 5 places, and 9 shows, and total earnings to $634,043. He paid $3.64 on a $2 wager as the favorite in the race.
Fan Take: Fullscreen’s impressive victory highlights how a well-timed move and steady development can turn a solid racehorse into a stakes winner, adding excitement and depth to the sport. For horse racing fans, such performances fuel hope for emerging talent and showcase the thrilling unpredictability that keeps the sport engaging.
