The Busanda (KYO)- $125.000 Purse
AQU- For Filles Three Years Old
One Mile and One Eighth on the Dirt
January 18, 2025

This Saturday, we will have two valuable races that award KYO points, with 20 of them going to the winner. Here, it is time to take a look at the one that takes place at AQU: the 16th running of The Busanda. When it was first added to the schedule in 2007, it was a simple $65.000 race. It was not contested every year early on, and 2013 would be the first time that KYO points were awarded for it. The purse is a new high for the race, up $25.000 from where it had been previously. It would be nice to see that continue to grow, but it’s a small improvement for now. 2024’s race was won by Spirit Storm, for Nakamura Stables, and she would go on to finish third in the KYO later in the year. She’s still active but has not raced since October. Nakamura will have one of the eleven in the field, let’s meet all of them now:

1- Victorian Era (Crocker Ggs, ridden by Edg Perez)- Broke her maiden in June, and has been hit and miss since then as the trainer has increased her competition level. First, the good, and that was the third-place effort in the Glorious Song Stakes, a big performance after a dud in the allowance. So, it seemed like all was well when she was entered into the $100.000 Untapable, but she had a flat, unresponsive midpack showing. Goes without saying that we need to see the Glorious Song version of her here.

2- Bridal Bouquet (Alydar Stables, ridden by D Van Dyke)- Leaves Florida for the first time in her career, so hopefully the cold weather is not a shock. She’s looked good in FL Sire Stakes races, running second in both the Susan and My Dear, a couple of races that offer a greater purse than this one does. Seems to be the type of horse that wants to do her best running late, so don’t worry if she is back there at the start in this one.

3- Ginger Tulip (The Sidley Stud, ridden by J P Spencer)- Made her debut last month at BTP, and put together a wire-to-wire victory there in a sprint. That’s not going to earn much, but she has shown her potential after the race with some impressive mile works. The Sidley Stud is not going to be conservative again with her, and sends her from BTP, not to TUP, but here to the Busanda. I do like her works though.

4- Escapist (Williams9, ridden by M Pinto)- After being picked up in private sales for $350.000, Escapist was looking real good as she would win the Pocahontas (Grade 3) and eventually would take part in the BC Juvenile Fillies. That did not go well, but that can be forgiven, surely. Unfortunately for the trainer, she has not run well in her two races after that, tiring after being on or near the lead early. It’s only been two weeks since her last start, as well.

5- Wanna Con (Big Guns Stables, ridden by L Salles)- The trainer thought high of her from the start, entering her in the $150.000 Flower while she was still a maiden. She did run second there, but it would not be until her last race, her fifth start, when she would get that first victory, doing so in the conventional manner. It was also the first time she had run on the main track, so it is not a surprise to see her back on the dirt here.

6- Us Against The World (Mb Stables, ridden by A Cedillo)- After she broke her maiden, she went into a brief slump, tiring in the Grade 3 Spinaway and the FL Sire Stakes- Susan. That led to a Veteran’s Day refresher at FL that she would win, and it seemed like it has paid off for her. Last month, she ran right here in the Grade 3 Demoiselle and was a respectable third, missing by less than a length. Works are good, and she should continue to stay on this right path.

7- Snow Ridge (Robeth, ridden by G W Corbett)- A big acquisition for the trainer, picking up the filly from Fractious for $200.000 late last month. Prior to the sale, Snow Ridge won three times in eight starts, highlighted by the Grade 2 Chandelier Stakes at SA in October. Following that, she ran well in the BC Juvenile Fillies, placing fourth. Now, the next chapter for this one begins in the silks of Robeth, and she should be considered one of the top choices. G W Corbett leaves TUP, for a change of scenery, as well.

8- Lifes Good (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by F Pennington)- Following back-to-back wins in overnights over the summer, Lifes Good made her stake debut in the Grade 1 Frizette. Every now and then, we’ll say a horse may need a race and in the case of Lifes Good, that seems to have been the story. Life was not good for Lifes Good there, but she’s been living fast since, barely missing in the Shesastonecoldfox and the Grade 2 Starlet. Eventually, she’s going to get that head bob at the wire!

9- Chemistry Crackle (Mb Stables, ridden by M E Smith)- Made her first two starts on the grass, and would ultimately run on the main track for the first time in the Frizette. Came from behind to run fourth there, so not surprisingly, she has not seen the grass again. However, after a no show in the Fifth Avenue, Chemistry Crackle will need to redeem herself on this racetrack here in the Busanda. If she doesn’t, perhaps the grass will be thought about again.

10- Distorted (Wood Duck Stables, ridden by L Saez)- This will be the first time that Distorted runs long for her career. To date, she has made four starts, going back and forth between surfaces, but other than for her debut, she has run well with a win and a pair of seconds. Most recently, she was the runner up in an LA-bred allowance at DED. Worked nicely at SA late last month and gets her chance to step it up into stakes competition here.

11- Shes A Looker (Nakamura Stables, ridden by S Elliott)- Looking to give the trainer his second win in a row in this race, but will have to do so from the outside. She’s lightly raced, with just three starts but two of them have ended up with her in the winner’s circle. An eye-opening stretch performance at SA three weeks ago in an optional claimer is her top win to this point. Her maiden win was a wire-to-wire effort, so who knows what tactic will be employed here. Living up to her name early on.

Prediction: 7-8-6-11

— NS

Categories: STAKES ARTICLES, Ungraded