Nevin hopes to keep the heat on

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Michelle Nevin’s horses are tolerating the winter weather a lot better than she is.

“It’s fine when you’re winning,” a bundled-up Nevin said Thursday in her office.

Nevin is off to a 6-for-14 start to the inner-track meet, and she hopes to continue her winning ways this weekend when she participates in both stakes races for 3-year-olds. On Saturday, Nevin sends out longshot Now We Are Free in the Grade 3, $200,000 Jerome Stakes. On Sunday, she’ll send out probable favorite Paulassilverlining in the $100,000 Ruthless Stakes for 3-year-old filly sprinters.

Now We Are Free, a son of First Samurai, has won his last two, both at Laurel Park. He won for maiden-claiming $25,000 going 1 1/16 miles on Oct. 11 and a first-level allowance going a one-turn mile Nov. 7. In his first start, he was beaten 17 1/4 lengths in a maiden special at Saratoga.

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“He’s never been a horse that’s shown anything in the morning. His works have been steady,” Nevin said. “It’s a big step up for him, but he hasn’t done anything wrong his last two runs. It’s to find out what he can do against tougher competition.”

Paulassilverlining won the Grade 2 Matron Stakes at Belmont in October. She then finished second to the front-running Jacaranda in the Grade 3 Tempted going a mile Nov. 7.

“She’s shown she doesn’t have a problem sprinting, and the timing up to this race is good,” Nevin said.

Paulassilverlining will meet four rivals in the Ruthless: Parx shipper Darling Sky; maiden winners Noble and a Beauty and Stormalina; and Dickinson, who was second to Noble and a Beauty in her lone start.