Parx: Blinkers help bring out best in High Quality

Anthony Dutrow thinks he has found the key to the 5-year-old mare High Quality and expects big things of her Tuesday when she faces seven other older fillies and mares in the $75,000 Langhorne at Parx Racing.

High Quality, a daughter of Elusive Quality, impressively won an optional claiming race at Parx on Feb. 25 going six furlongs, earning a Beyer Figure of 92, a lifetime best. Dutrow says the reason is pretty clear.

“I put blinkers on her and shortened her up in distance,” he said. “It seems logical that’s what improved her so much.”

Dutrow is not worried about the 6 1/2-furlong distance of the Langhorne, as High Quality has won going a mile and 70 yards on dirt.

“I don’t think the added distance from her last will have a bearing at all on her,” Dutrow said.

High Quality had a bullet work at Aqueduct on March 18.

“She is training well and is a very versatile mare,” he said. “I have a lot of reasons to feel good about her going into this race.”

Dutrow has been on fire at Parx this year, winning 21 of 43 races coming into Saturday’s card, a 49 percent win average. Stewart Elliot retains the mount. When teaming together, Dutrow and Elliott have won at 37 percent locally this year and last.

Trainer Mike Aro has an excuse for his charge, Winning Image, in her last race Feb. 4 at Aqueduct and is expecting a big performance Tuesday.

“She had a lung infection we found out after the race,” he said. “She is training well now, she does everything we ask of her with ease.”

Winning Image has had two bullet works at Parx since her last race, in which she finished last, beaten by almost 17 lengths.

The 5-year-old mare won the $75,000 Cornucopia at Parx on Nov. 25, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 98, her lifetime best.

Aro is not concerned about the added sixteenth of a mile of the Langhorne.

“She had plenty in the tank at the end of that race and so I don’t think the extra half-furlong will be a problem,” he said. “She always gives 100 percent.”

Jose Caraballo retains the mount.

Others in the field include Lightshaft, Oh So Bella, Island Bound, Pilot Point Lady, Grand Kisses, and Sleepless DIxie.