Repeat of last puts Paulassilverlining back in winner's circle
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – It didn’t come as a major surprise when the multiple stakes winner Paulassilverlining won an allowance race at Aqueduct last month. The manner in which she did it, however, caught many off guard, including her trainer.
Paulassilverlining rolled to a 9 1/4-length victory, running six furlongs in 1:10.59 and earning a gaudy Beyer Speed Figure of 106.
“I thought she was doing great, but the way she ran, I was extremely happy,” trainer Michelle Nevin said. ‘’She really ran big.”
Nevin will be hoping for more of the same when Paulassilverlining runs back in Saturday’s $125,000 Correction Stakes at Aqueduct. The Correction, at six furlongs, drew a field of only five, so it has been carded as the third race (2:20 p.m. Eastern) on Saturday’s nine-race program.
Paulassilverlining, a daughter of Ghostzapper and a half-sister to multiple Grade 1 winner Dads Caps, is 4 for 5 at six furlongs. That includes victories in the Grade 2 Matron at Belmont Park as a 2-year-old and the Ruthless Stakes at 3 over Aqueduct’s inner track.
Paulassilverlining, who breaks from the rail under Jose Ortiz, will face a group that includes Clothes Fall Off and Willet. Two starts back, Clothes Fall Off set an inner-track record for 5 1/2 furlongs. Willet, a New York-bred, is a five-time stakes winner making what is believed to be the final start of her career.
My Savannah Belle and Momameamaria complete the field.
KEY CONTENDERS
Paulassilverlining, by Ghostzapper
Last 3 Beyers: 106-82-79
◗ Comes off a career-best effort, making her 2 for 3 over the inner track.
◗ Likely will flash some speed after breaking from the rail.
“On the inner track, I don’t mind having the rail,” Nevin said. “One thing about Paula is she’s very versatile. She’s got enough speed to get out of there, but she can also sit behind the speed, too.”
Clothes Fall Off, by Daaher
Last 3 Beyers: 91-91-82
◗ Two starts back, she set a track record for 5 1/2 furlongs of 1:02.89 in winning a second-level allowance by 1 1/2 lengths over next-out winner Making Havoc. Last out, she finished second to stablemate Dancing House in the Grade 2 Barbara Fritchie at Laurel.
◗ In a bit of a departure from his usual training schedule, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin had Clothes Fall Off blow out three furlongs in 36.43 seconds over the Belmont training track Thursday.
“She worked last week in 52; a little bit of rider error,” McLaughlin said. “We talked about it, and we blew her out a little bit. We worked her close to the Barbara Fritchie, too.”
McLaughlin is hoping Paulassilverlining and Momameamaria hook up early and Clothes Fall Off can stalk those two under Manny Franco.
Willet, by Jump Start
Last 3 Beyers: 90-85-90
◗ Came within a neck of Court Dancer when finishing second in the Broadway Stakes here on Feb. 21.
◗ Has a 3-1-2 record from six starts over the inner track, including a victory in the Interborough, her lone open-company stakes win.
◗ This is expected to be the last start of her career before she is bred to Triple Crown winner American Pharoah.