Ex-claimer Literary Light belongs in Correction

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - When Richard Schosberg put up $50,000 to claim Literary Light on Sept. 28, he was simply looking for a useful horse to get a new client started.

Schosberg and owner Michael Tau may have gotten more than they bargained for, as Literary Light has a good chance to become a stakes winner in Saturday's $75,000 Correction Handicap at Aqueduct. The Correction, run at a six furlongs, drew a competitive field of 10.

In three starts since being claimed, Literary Light has two wins and a second-place finish. Her runner-up finish came to Golden Made in a Jan. 17 allowance race. Golden Made, a hard-knocking New Jersey-bred mare returning from a layoff, was allowed to get loose on the lead, and despite gaining ground late, Literary Light fell a length short.

"Saskya lost her rider out of the gate which caused the other speed horses to hesitate and we ended up chasing a very nice filly that was loose on the lead," said Schosberg, who won the 2001 Correction with Fickle Fanny. "I think we made up [four lengths] from the head of the stretch to the wire, which on that track is a lot."

Schosberg also noted that Aqueduct's inner track was loose and cuppy that day and Literary Light may not have cared for the surface. With rain in the forecast Friday night into Saturday, Schosberg is hoping the surface will be tighter. An off track wouldn't hurt either, Schosberg said.

Literary Light, who will be ridden by Richard Migliore, figures to sit right off the pace, which should be established by Golden Made, Redhead Riot, and possibly A.P. Aindie.

A hot pace would certainly help the late-running Honest Deceiver, who ships in from Kentucky for trainer Elliott Walden. A $400,000 daughter of Is It True, Honest Deceiver comes off a half-length victory in the Wishing Well Stakes at Turfway Park on Jan. 11.

"I was very impressed with that race," Walden said. "They don't come from that far out of it at Turfway and that was a pretty decent group of fillies. She's gotten pretty good over the fall."

Honest Deceiver, one of four horses assigned 116 pounds in the field, will be ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan from post 5.

Trainer Pat Reynolds could offer no excuse for Shawklit Mint's fifth-place finish in the Interborough on New Year's Day. She could have bounced running three weeks after recording a lifetime-best 108 Beyer Speed Figure in a Dec. 12 allowance race. If she's able to bounce back from the dismal Interborough performance, Shawklit Mint could be a threat.

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