Correction win would open things up for Isabelle
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Isabelle, twice a winner against New York-breds, looks well spotted to earn her first victory against open company in Saturday’s $100,000 Correction Stakes for older fillies and mares at Aqueduct.
The six-furlong Correction drew a field of six fillies and mares – all stakes winners – and will go as race 4 on the 10-race card. Rain is in the forecast for Saturday, which certainly wouldn’t hurt Isabelle, who is 2 for 2 over a wet track.
Isabelle has won three consecutive races dating back to last August. She is 2 for 2 for trainer Bill Mott, with those wins coming 17 days apart in a second-level allowance race Jan. 29 and the Broadway Stakes on Feb. 14.
In the Broadway, Isabelle showed a new dimension, rallying from fifth position to win by 1 1/4 lengths over Atlantic’s Smile, who was scheduled to run in an open-company allowance race Thursday at Aqueduct.
“We now know that she’s not one-dimensional and can adapt to certain pace scenarios,” said Riley Mott, son of and assistant to Bill Mott. “If she ends up on the lead, so be it; she’s proven she can handle it.”
The only other speed in the race is Bridgehampton, who has gone off form since wiring the field in the My Juliet Stakes at Parx last May.
The main competition for Isabelle figures to come from Expression, the winner of the Garland of Roses Stakes, and Aireofdistinction, the runner-up to Willet in the Interborough Stakes. Mamdooha makes her first start since winning the Cicada Stakes over this track last March.
KEY CONTENDERS
Isabelle (Last 3 Beyers: 87-87-73)
◗ The majority of her success has come against New York-breds, but her connections believe she can handle open company.
“Throughout the year there are a lot of nice New York-bred opportunities, but we think she’s the type if she keeps running the way she has, she can hold her own in open company,” Riley Mott said.
Expression (Last 3 Beyers: 92-84-77)
◗ Fifth in this race last year, she returned from a nine-month layoff with several good performances, including a win in the Garland of Roses in December and a third in the Grade 2 Barbara Fritchie at Laurel last out.
◗ She has recorded six of her seven victories over the inner track.
Mamdooha (Last 3 Beyers: 73-78-72)
◗ After running second in her debut, Mamdooha has reeled off four consecutive victories, including two stakes over the inner track last year.
◗ Following her victory in the Cicada Stakes last March, she was found to have an ankle chip that needed to be surgically removed.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: In the last five years, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin is 6 for 15 with a $3.28 return on investment in non-graded stakes with horses coming off a layoff of 180 days or longer.