Dutrow has top two in Correction

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Everything has been going right for trainer Richard Dutrow Jr. at Aqueduct's inner-track meet, and he proved that Saturday with his one-two finish with She's Zealous and Fit Performer in the $82,875 Correction Handicap.

Before a crowd of 4,558, She's Zealous ($9) won the Correction by one length over Fit Performer, the 2-1 favorite and 117-pound highweight who was not coupled in the wagering with her stablemate. It was another three lengths back to Balmy in third in the nine-horse field of fillies and mares.

She's Zealous, ridden by Mike Luzzi, was hustled to the lead from her rail post and set fractions of 22.71 seconds for the opening quarter and 45.92 for the half-mile. Early in the stretch of the six-furlong race, She's Zealous shrugged off challenges by Balmy and Fit Performer, each of whom won stakes in their last starts.

Dutrow, who has a commanding lead in the standings with 31 winners and is winning at a 40-percent clip, had specific instructions for Luzzi.

"We drew another bad post with She's Zealous and I didn't want to sit around and play cat-and-mouse like we did last time," said Dutrow by phone from Florida. "The plan was to ride her out there, get position and control the speed. Both of my horses ran very good."

Luzzi, who booted home four winners on the card, said he rode She's Zealous aggressively from the gate to secure the early lead.

"You have to ask her to get there, and we had plans to do that today," Luzzi said.

She's Zealous covered the distance in 1:10.14 and carried 113 pounds.

The Correction was She's Zealous's first stakes win. From nine career starts, She's Zealous has a record of 4-2-0 and earnings of $157,765.