Bridlewood Cat needs top effort in Correction Stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – If you’re willing to forgive and forget her last performance, Bridlewood Cat looms a major player in Saturday’s $100,000 Correction Stakes at Aqueduct.

Bridlewood Cat, a 4-year-old daughter of Street Sense, had won two straight races entering a second-level allowance race on Jan. 26 where she was the 1-2 favorite in a field of six. Bridlewood Cat prompted the pacesetting Honey I’m Good through a modest half-mile in 46.41 seconds, but Honey I’m Good repelled her in midstretch and Bridlewood Cat faded to fourth while Piedi Bianchi rallied to victory.

Trainer Jonathan Thomas said he doesn’t have an excuse for Bridlewood Cat’s performance, but noted that some speed figures had it as a “lateral move” from her Jan. 26 victory.

“It wasn’t the outcome we wanted, she came out of it well, she had no excuses,” Thomas said. “She trained well coming out of it, so we approach this with a little bit of confidence. She’s got to improve a little bit to make some noise.”

:: To stay up to date, follow us on: Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

Thomas said he would like to see Bridlewood Cat more prominent early after breaking from post 2 under jockey Junior Alvarado.

“She’s got to show that speed and take it to the wire,” Thomas said. “Let her use her weapon, which is speed.”

For those unwilling to give Bridlewood Cat another chance, then Kept True or Piedi Bianchi likely becomes your choice.

Kept True, a 4-year-old daughter of Yes It’s True trained by Leah Gyarmati, is coming off a two-length victory in the Broadway Stakes for New York-bred fillies on Feb. 15, her second win in three starts during this winter meet. Her lone loss came in the seven-furlong La Verdad Stakes on Jan. 4.

“I think six [furlongs] is her best distance because she likes to be right there,” Gyarmati said. “She shows up every time. The La Verdad set up a little bit differently than I expected.”

Piedi Bianchi came off a year layoff to win that Jan. 26 allowance by three-quarters of a length. The 87 Beyer Speed Figure she recorded in that race was a career best and it’s fair to wonder if she regresses off such a career-top performance.

Trainer Carlos Martin said that having 6 1/2 weeks between races and the fact he doesn’t train her hard will have Piedi Bianchi fresh and ready to fire.

“She’s carrying good flesh, had an easy blowout the other day,” Martin said. “The week before, Jorge Vargas, her regular rider, worked her and said she felt strong all the way, had a lot of horse.”

Slimey, entered in a Friday allowance race, Imnotshyi’llbuy, Nisha, and Sea Sparkle complete the field.

The Correction goes as race 8 on a nine-race card that begins at 1:30 p.m.