Blithely gets another shot at Isabelle in Broadway

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Four of the top five finishers from a second-level allowance race Jan. 29 meet again in Saturday’s $100,000 Broadway Stakes for New York-bred fillies and mares at Aqueduct.

Isabelle, Atlantic’s Smile, and Blithely were separated by three-quarters of a length in that race, with Make the Moment another two lengths back in fifth.

While Isabelle was a game winner making her first start in five months, Blithely encountered traffic trouble that forced her to alter course twice in the stretch. Blithely was rallying along the rail, then came off the fence to try to split horses, only to have that door close. Then she went back to the rail in an attempt to rally again.

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“I don’t feel like she was outclassed,” said Mark Hennig, the trainer of Blithely. “If she had been able to stay on the rail and get a clean run, then when that horse decided to go in the other direction, I feel like we could have won.”

Jose Ortiz rode Blithely last time. With Ortiz at Laurel on Saturday, Manuel Franco picks up the mount on Blithely, who breaks from the rail.

The newcomers to this group are Pennymine, a winner of her last two; Uncle Southern, a stakes winner at Saratoga last summer who makes her first start since November; and Vicki’s Dancer, fifth in the What a Summer Stakes at Laurel on Jan. 3.

KEY CONTENDERS

Blithely (Last 3 Beyers: 85-86-72)

◗ She has never finished worse than third sprinting and won an open-company, entry-level allowance over the inner track Jan. 2.

◗ She breaks from the rail, but she owns an 11 1/4-length maiden win from the rail at Belmont in September 2013.

“She’s not the speed of the race,” Hennig said. “I think she’ll have a chance to stalk.”

◗ Blithely’s half-sister Merry Meadow runs in Saturday’s Hurricane Bertie at Gulfstream.

Isabelle (Last 3 Beyers: 87-73-65)

◗ She returns on relatively short rest after equaling her career-top Beyer Speed Figure (87) when beating several of these Jan. 29.

“It isn’t ideal, but if we don’t run, then you’re passing a restricted stakes opportunity for her,” trainer Bill Mott said. “I think she’s quick and very useful.”

◗ She is already a stakes winner, having taken the Bouwerie last May at Belmont.

◗ She is 3 for 3 at six furlongs.

Atlantic’s Smile (Last 3 Beyers: 85-91-65)

◗ She quickly opened up a three-length lead out of the gate, drifted off the rail near the eighth pole, but fought on valiantly when finishing second to Isabelle.

“She’s got to relax a little more early,” trainer Charlton Baker said.

◗ Baker also sends out Make the Moment, who he felt was compromised by a wide trip all the way around under Israel Rodriguez.

“You got to save ground and tip out,” said Baker, who is switching riders to Taylor Rice.

◗ Rice won on Make the Moment last February and rode her to a fourth-place finish behind La Verdad in last year’s Broadway.