The 14th Running of The Busanda
January 23, 2022 12:40
AQU Race #2 $100.000 11/8 Dirt
3YO Fillies 122 Lbs (+ penalties)
KYO POINTS RACE 10-4-2-1
Track Record-1:46.83 (Expressly-2013)
Stakes Record-1:48.78 (Appealing Ginger-2019)
The Busanda, with its $100.000 purse and 10 KYO qualifying points on the line, serves as the Sunday feature at AQU. Sophomore fillies get the opportunity to go 9-furlongs and climb the leaderboard for the early spring staple at CD. Thirteen horses pased through the entry box; however, with the defection of #10 Lemrun, #13 Name That Filly draws into the race.
Looking at The Busanda on paper, the first thing that becomes apparent is the lack of early speed in the race. Only Tell Milady has shown the inclination to race on the front end and she may be able to have things her own way out front through the early checkpoints of the race. Although off the pace in the G1 Starlet last out, Tell Milady has been prominent in the early stages in each of her five other starts. While she does own two victories, she has yet to win past 5.5 furlongs, so while she may be able to dictate the terms, she will have to show more in the latter stages to hold off the lasses she figures to have in her rearview.
Chief among those who will likely draw the attention of the punters are Curlina, Hollywood Harbour, Ask Forfree Delivery, and Folded Wings. Curlina, drawn on the rail, will have to give each of her eleven rivals two pounds on the scale by virtue of her victory in the Untapable Stakes last time. Conditioner Fractious has been high on her from the start as she debuted in the G1 Spinaway where she was only beaten a length when she came home 4th. Maiden-breaking win saw her sit close to a fairly soft early pace at CD, but she was a bit further back at FG before showing her heart to get the bob. If Tell Milady tries to “walk the dog”, this lass could be in prime position to launch her rally. Hollywood Harbour, breaking from post four, looks like a filly that may be sitting on a career-best effort. She is another that likes to get into a rhythm before launching her bid and she gets a little more ground in this. Look for her to be passing rivals down the lane. Ask Forfree Delivery is the top selection for three reasons. First, she is a bit more blessed with early foot than the rest of this quartet; she can stay true to form and have the opportunity for first run. Secondly, she just ran this 9-furlong distance and almost ran them all down in the G2 Demoiselle. Finally, she gets the services of Jaramillo for this assignment and that may be just the extra push she needs to best this group. Folded Wings has been ultra-competitive at the G1 and G2 levels and she should enjoy the drop in class on Sunday. On paper, there is a strong chance that she could be in the second flight sitting just two-wide. If that is the trip she is able to work out, she may be the strongest of win contenders.
Final Analysis: Tell Milady will be the pace-setter, unless something funky happens, and she may lead them into the stretch; however, the horse who figures to get first run will be at a tremendous advantage and that appears, most likely, to be Ask Forfree Delivery. Folded Wings and Hollywood Harbour will be in the photo, but they will round-out the exacta and tri with Curlina just a bit further back in 4th. We’ll say 6-4-9-1 in an exciting renewal of The Busanda. Good luck everyone!
$100.000 The Busanda 11/8 AQU Race #2
#1 Curlina (Fractious/Fractious/J.R. Velazquez 124)
#2 Queens Park (Mo Mentum Farm/Mo Mentum Farm/V. Espinoza 122)
#3 Obsessed (Williams 9/Mb Stables/K. Carmouche 122)
#4 Hollywood Harbour (Aer Stables/Estero Farms/S.X. Bridgmohan 122)
#5 Clumsy Jean (Night Rider Stables/Night Rider Stables/E.J. Zayas 122)
#6 Ask Forfree Delivery (Arindel/Williams 9/E. Jaramillo 122)
#7 Dance Macabre (Night Mare Racing/Night Mare Racing/D. Davis 122)
#8 Charlottes A Star (Jokerjoes/Jokerjoes/J. Rosario 122)
#9 Folded Wings (Jive Inc./Jive Inc./T. Gaffalione 122)
#10 Lemrun SCRATCHED
#11 Tell Milady (Nakamura Stables/Nakamura Stables/V.R. Carrasco 122)
#12 Upstate (Our Athletes/Our Athletes/F. Geroux 122)
#13 Name That Filly (Simmer Down Stables/Simmer Down Stables/M. Franco 122)
Categories: STAKES ARTICLES
