Bridlewood Cat taking next step in allowance

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Bridlewood Cat, winner of two straight since returning from a layoff, takes the next logical step in her progression toward stakes company when she heads a field of six entered in a second-level allowance race Sunday at Aqueduct.

Bridlewood Cat, a 4-year-old half-sister to Grade 1 winner Sweet Loretta trained by Jonathan Thomas for Bridlewood Farm, is trying to use this race as a springboard to the $100,000 Correction Stakes here on March 14. Both this race and the Correction are at six furlongs, the distance at which Bridlewood Cat has already won twice.

Thomas said the reason he skipped the Interborough on Monday was “spacing, for one, and keeping her at the six-furlong distance.”

“We can certainly experiment down the road [with longer distances], but at this point in time, with her pedigree, this kind of scenario puts her in the best possible situation to get some black type,” he said.

Bridlewood Cat is drawn in post 5 and will be ridden by Manny Franco. The main competition figures to be the 6-year-old New York-bred Fair Regis, who is a nine-time winner and who breaks from post 2 under Jose Lezcano.

Meanwhile, Thomas is trying to decide what might be next for Quixotic, his 3-year-old maiden winner on Jan. 18. Thomas said Quixotic, a son of Quality Road owned by Ralph Evans, would be nominated to the Jimmy Winkfield here on Feb. 8, but might wait for the Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham going a one-turn mile on March 7.

Quixotic won a 6 1/2-furlong race by 4 1/4 lengths while earning an 81 Beyer Speed Figure.

Truth Hurts drills for Busanda

Truth Hurts, a winner of both of her starts, worked five furlongs in 1:01.74 Friday morning over the Belmont Park training track in preparation for a start in the Busanda Stakes on Feb. 2.

Truth Hurts started her move a few lengths behind Splitting Eights, but quickly went by her and got a little tired and didn’t change leads in the stretch of the move.

A field of seven is expected for the Busanda, including Ankle Monitor, Fiftyshays Ofgreen, Harvey’s Lil Goil, Persisto, Quality Heat, and Water White.

◗ Better late than never. The New York Racing Association will be offering its popular calendar promotion on Feb. 1. Patrons receive the calendar with purchase of a racing program.