Aqueduct: Rice enters quartet for Correction

By Najja Thompson —-

OZONE PARK, N.Y. -Linda Rice, leading trainer at the Aqueduct winter meet with 39 wins through 54 days of live racing, will look to continue her domination at the current stand, entering four formidable contenders for the $100,000 Correction for fillies and mares, 4-years-old and up going six furlongs on Saturday at the Big A.

Rice will saddle Sower for owner Leonard Green; Startwithsilver for owners Lady Sheila Stable and Iris Smith Stable; defending Correction winner Sounds Delicious for owner Stud El Aguila; and Honor Way for owner Aron. S. Yagoda.

A 4-year-old daughter of Flatter purchased for $120,000 as a 2-year-old at the Ocala Breeders’ Sale, Sower compiled a record of four wins and three thirds from 9 starts in 2018 and has an impressive career record of three wins from five starts at the distance.

Following a fourth-place finish in the Thirty Eight Go Go at a mile on December 29 at Laurel Park, Sower returned to finish second in the Interborough on January 25. Sower has posted two workouts since the Interborough, including a four-furlong breeze in 47.41 seconds last Saturday at Belmont Park.

Rice said Sower is training forwardly into the Correction.

“She’s been training very well coming out of her last race,” said Rice. “We’re looking for her to improve, and her last two breezes coming into this race were very strong.”

Drawing the rail in a field of six, Sower will be ridden by Jose Lezcano.

Startwithsilver, a 6-year-old New York-bred mare sired by Jump Start, finished fifth last time out in the Broadway on February 16. With four wins from six starts at the Big A and four wins from nine attempts at the distance, Rice said she is hopeful of a big effort on Saturday.

“We’re hoping she can regain the previous form she showed us last year,” said Rice. “Our thinking is to give her one more shot here and depending on how she runs either continue on with her campaign or let her retire and move into the breeding shed.”

Startwithsilver will leave from post 5 with Junior Alvarado up.

Sounds Delicious, a 5-year-old Yes It’s True mare, returns to stakes action after finishing second by a head in an optional claiming race on January 1. The chestnut romped to an eight-length win in the Correction last year to earn her first stakes score.

Honor Way will look to rebound off a seventh-place effort in the Grade 3 Barbara Fritchie on February 16 at Laurel Park.

“Both are coming into this race well and we’re looking for each to perform well,” said Rice. “Sounds Delicious worked well in her last breeze in preparation for this, and we’re hoping Honor Way can get some class relief shipping from Laurel [Park] in a Grade 3 in her last start.”

Sounds Delicious departs from post 4 with meet leading rider Manny Franco aboard; Honor Way will leave from post 2 with Eric Cancel in the irons.

Trainer Eddie Barker will enter Yorkiepoo Princess for owner Danny Chen. The 5-year-old Kantharos mare has amassed over $460,000 in earnings from her 21 starts. With two wins from her last four starts, Yorkiepoo Princess heads into the Correction hoping to improve from a fifth-place finish in the Interborough.

“She’s been doing very well,” said Barker. “She’s been training well and she’s starting to look like her old self,” said Barker. “We know she likes the track and she trains here every day, so we think she’ll improve. I like her chances in this field where she can utilize her pace.”

Drawing post 3, Yorkiepoo Princess will be ridden by Dylan Davis.

Also entered is Filibustin for trainer Gary Contessa and owner Susan Moulton. Kendrick Carmouche will pilot Filibustin from the outside post.

The Correction is slated as Race 3 on Saturday’s nine-race card First post is 1:30 p.m.