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Kept True faces open company in Saturday's $100K Correction

by Ryan Martin

Treadway Racing Stables' last-out stakes winner Kept True will attempt her first victory against open company when taking on a seven-horse field in Saturday's 80th running of the $100,000 Correction for fillies and mares 4-year-old and up at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The six-furlong event is named in honor of the multiple stakes winner and full-sister to 1893 Horse of the Year Domino. She was well-known for producing eventual successful broodmares such as Nature, an ancestress to 1978 Triple Crown-winner Affirmed.

Trained by Leah Gyarmati, Kept True has won 5-of-8 races against state-breds, including the Broadway on February 15. Last out, she stayed close to the pace, switched leads to the outside and held off a late charge from stakes winner Cash Offer to win by three lengths, registering an 85 Beyer Speed Figure.

The 4-year-old Yes It's True filly's last start against open company took place four back when racing second in a first-level allowance race on November 15.

"Last out, she ran very well. Now is as good a time as any to try and put her up against open company," Gyarmati said.

Kept True boasts a record of three wins in five starts at the Correction distance. 

"Six [furlongs] is better than seven, although she is maturing and getting more patient, so maybe she'll be more versatile. Right now, six furlongs is perfect," Gyarmati said.

Gyarmati also trained Kept True's dam Well Kept, a three-time stakes-placed daughter of Henny Hughes.

"That was one of our first nice fillies that we had [with owner Jeff Treadway]. She was a cool horse," Gyarmati said. "They're both very nice to be around. They're built the same and have the same blocky-type of look to them. They do whatever you ask them to do. Neither have really had a bad habit or caused any worries."

Jockey Dylan Davis, who was aboard Kept True for her last three outings, will return to the saddle from post 4 in attempt to win a fifth stakes race this meet.

Seeking a second win off a calendar year-long layoff is Piedi Bianchi, who is owned by Jay Oringer, Jack Bick and Madaket Stables.

Trained by Carlos Martin, three-time Grade 1-placed Piedi Bianchi made her first start in a year when defeating allowance company over the Big A main track on January 26 over fellow Correction aspirant Bridlewood Cat. The 5-year-old gray daughter of Overanalyze recorded an 87 Beyer for sitting three-wide off a fast pace, before assuming command in the final strides to the wire. Prior to her return to action, she finished sixth in Gulfstream Park's South Beach on January 26, 2019.

As a juvenile under the care of trainer Doug O'Neill, Peidi Bianchi was a close second in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante and finished third in the Chandelier at Santa Anita and Starlet at Los Alamitos Race Course, both Grade 1 events. 

She was sent to Todd Pletcher for her 3-year-old campaign, where she defeated fellow Indiana-breds in the Frances Slocum in November 2018 at Indiana Grand Race Course, marking her lone stakes win.

"She came to me in excellent condition," Martin said. "The filly was a little worn out after last year so the owners gave her plenty of time to recoup. [Farm trainer] Destin Heath and his crew over at WinStar Farm did an excellent job with her while she was there. I was able to nurse her back and she's never taken a bad step for us. Her last race was a huge one off the layoff and the sheet numbers were fantastic. She's been training forwardly, and we should see another big race out of her."

Piedi Bianchi boasts the field's highest lifetime earnings with a bankroll of $403,100. She will be piloted by last out rider Jorge Vargas, Jr., who seeks his fifth stakes win of the meet, from post 5.

Two-time winner Bridlewood Cat will attempt to regain her footing and make amends off a fourth-place finish to Peidi Bianchi.

The Bridlewood Farm-owned daughter of Street Sense conditioned by Jonathan Thomas broke her maiden three starts back in her second career outing with an 11 ¼-length romp at Belmont Park on October 13. She followed up with a victory against winners, including three-time New York-bred stakes victor Newly Minted. 

Last out, Bridlewood Cat was an uncharacteristic fourth as the favorite, when sitting right off the pace and finishing fourth beaten 2 ¾ lengths.

Jockey Junior Alvarado, a five-time stakes winner this meet, will be aboard Bridlewood Cat from post 2.

Completing the field are Slimey [post 1, Eric Cancel]; Sea Sparkle [post 3, Luis Cardenas]; I'mnotshyi'llbuy [post 6, Benjamin Hernandez]; and Nisha [post 7; Reylu Gutierrez].

The Correction is scheduled as Race 8 on Saturday's nine-race card. First post is 1:30 p.m. Eastern.