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Kant Hurry Love back in action in $100K Correction

by Christian Abdo

Ken Wheeler, Jr.'s New York-bred Kant Hurry Love will look to earn her second career stakes win in Saturday’s $100,000 Correction, a six-furlong sprint for older fillies and mares, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

Trained by David Duggan, the 5-year-old Kantharos bay has hit the board versus stakes company in four of her last five outings, all under Trevor McCarthy, featuring a last-out third sprinting seven furlongs in the state-bred Broadway here on February 17.

“For us, we’re after some black type to get her some value. She’s more than likely going to run for the rest of the year, so we’ll just keep picking our spots,” said Duggan.

Kant Hurry Love was originally pointed to the Grade 3 Barbara Fritchie in mid-February at Laurel Park, but had to re-route to the Broadway when the race was postponed.

“We wanted to see how she came out of her last race and it was going to be the original goal to go to this race - run at Laurel, have a little more time, and run in the Correction,” Duggan explained. “She’s bounced out of her last race fine and we’ve dusted ourselves off. We’re prepared to go again.”

Kant Hurry Love’s Broadway effort came off of an over two-month respite following a second in the local Garland of Roses on December 9, beaten a neck by returning rival Hot Fudge sprinting six furlongs.

The last victory for Kant Hurry Love came by a nose in the state-bred Dancin Renee on June 25 at Belmont Park, which was awarded a career best 88 Beyer Speed Figure.

“[Seven furlongs] is just not her trip,” Duggan said. “But, she got a piece of the cake [in the Broadway] and she’s been a prize in our barn. We’ll see if we’re good enough; these open stakes aren’t easy.”

Bred in the Empire State by Dr. John M. McDermott and Laura G. McDermott, Kant Hurry Love is out of the Langfuhr mare She's All Love, who is a half-sister to graded-stakes placed Bonus Points and stakes-winner Candid Desire.

Kant Hurry Love was a $40,000 purchase at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearling Showcase. The bay holds a 20-5-7-5 record with $436,850 in earnings.

McCarthy retains the mount from post 4.

KEM Stables’ Hot Fudge enters off of three consecutive victories at Aqueduct, including a pair of open-company stakes in the seven-furlong Listed Interborough and six-furlong Garland of Roses, plus a 3 1/4-length romp of an optional claimer going a one-turn mile.

With trainer Linda Rice currently serving a two-week suspension, the classy 5-year-old Liam’s Map mare will race in the care of her nephew Adam Rice.

Hot Fudge, who was originally targeting the Barbara Fritchie, has breezed extensively over the Belmont Park dirt training track, most recently covering five-eighths in 1:01.49 on March 2.

During her juvenile campaign in 2021, she earned black type when beaten a neck in the six-furlong Stewart Manor at Belmont Park. The place-honors preceded an over one-year layoff before she made a triumphant return sprinting six furlongs versus allowance-level older fillies and mares at Aqueduct in January 2023.

Since returning to racing, the dark bay is 6-for-8, winning 5-of-6 tries at the Big A. Out of the Into Mischief mare Noelle’s Mischief, Hot Fudge is 12-7-1-1 lifetime, banking $438,905.

Bred in Kentucky by Edwin Anthony, Hot Fudge was a $235,000 purchase at the 2021 OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.

Kendrick Carmouche has the call from post 5.

Michael Dubb and America's Pastime Stables’ Quick Munny has hit the board in every effort for her current connections after being haltered for $40,000 out of a fourth-place finish in July at Saratoga Race Course.

Trained by Rob Atras, the 6-year-old Munnings bay was second last out in a local six-furlong optional claimer on December 17. The effort came on the heels of two similar showings going six furlongs, earning place-honors after setting the pace at Laurel and Aqueduct, on December 1 and October 28, respectively.

“She’s been in really good form for us. She’s done really well lately, we’re hoping the spot doesn’t come up too tough and she can give us another good showing,” said Atras. “I think she deserves a shot based off of her last two.”

Prior to the string of seconds, Quick Munny drew off to win a September optional claiming sprint at Pimlico Race Course by 2 3/4 lengths, first off of the claim for Atras.

“It all depends on the dynamics of the race. Her speed is probably her best weapon,” Atras said. “I don’t think we plan on taking that away from her.”

Quick Munny has been working over the Belmont Park dirt training track since her last effort, most recently covering a half-mile in 49 seconds flat on February 23.

“I’ve been happy with what she has done in the morning,” said Atras. “We’re not too worried about the time in between races.”

Out of the Tiznow mare Quick Click, Quick Munny holds a record of 19-4-5-3 for purse earnings of $258,760.

Meet-leading jockey Dylan Davis will be in rein from post 3.

Nedlaw Stable’s Secret Love [post 7, Romero Maragh] looks to improve upon a sixth-place finish in last year’s edition of this race for trainer John Kimmel.

The 6-year-old Not This Time chestnut won the New York-bred Franklin Square as a sophomore sprinting 6 1/2-furlongs at Aqueduct. In state-bred stakes efforts since, she finished third in the 2022 Iroquois and Union Avenue, in addition to a second in the 2021 Bouwerie.

Bred by Sequel Stallions NY & Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, Secret Love has banked $383,728 through a 22-5-3-4 ledger.

Neal Hayias’ Risk Free [post 8, Jose Gomez] finally found the elusive winner’s circle three starts back in the 21st start of her career, a stretch that featured 10 seconds including in the off-the-turf Floral Park sprinting six furlongs here on October 14.

Trained by Eddie DeLauro, the 4-year-old American Freedom bay graduated sprinting seven furlongs here on January 11, and has since run versus allowance company twice with a third on February 2.

Out of the multiple stakes-winning Istan mare Keep Crossing, Risk Free is a full sister to Good Skate, who hit the board in the John’s Call at Saratoga in August. Risk Free boasts a record of 23-1-10-7 with $320,290 in earnings.

Mark Cherry’s Music City Star [post 1, Eric Cancel] will make her New York debut following an off-the-board finish in the Grade 2 Inside Information, sprinting seven furlongs at Gulfstream on January 27.

The 6-year-old Tapiture chestnut is set for her third start for conditioner Jena Antonucci. Her first outing for Antonucci was a two-length score in a Gulfstream optional claiming sprint on January 6. She was previously trained by Saffie Joseph, Jr.

The well-traveled bay has banked $214,040 through a record of a record of 25-4-4-1.

Rounding out the field are seven time-winner Starship Defiant [post 2, Isaac Castillo] for owner/trainer David Jacobson, and eight time-winner Baba [post 6, Daylor Berrios-Lopez] for conditioner Mike Jones, Jr.

The Correction is slated as Race 8 on Saturday’s 9-race card. First post is 1:20 p.m. Eastern.

America’s Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the winter meet at Aqueduct Racetrack on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the winter meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.