Handicapper's Corner: Busher Stakes

Busher Stakes Fillies Face a Wet Track

By: Michael Mills, ThoroFan Member

Aqueduct’s 39th running of the Busher Stakes is for 3-year-old fillies will be contested at One Mile on Saturday. From the weather forecasts It appears the girls will face some sort of wet track, most likely a sloppy one.  As such my selections factor in a wet surface.

The Field

1)      Sara Street looks to bring speed to the heat, something she has shown in her 2-life time starts.  The daughter of Street Sense looks to stretch out to this one turn mile from her 6.5 furlough maiden score just short of 30 days ago.  The rail and the distance raise questions.

2)      War Heroine ships in from the West Coast for Peter Miller.  Winner of her last, the Sweet Life Stakes on Santa Anita’s downhill turf course, and she also brings Grade 2 experience with her.  Looks to also have speed.  Not very confident her nice effort in her last is going to translate well at the Big A with       the added distance and wet footing.

3)      Midnight Disguise a NY Bred won the Busanda Stakes in January at Aqueduct going 1 1/8 mile.  While she has a win and a second placing at the mile distance she appears to be one that is at her best at the longer distance.

4)      Youvegottopaytopla comes in from Mahoning Valley having won her career debut last month.  Winning time was slow.  Nice breeding but looks to be asking too much too fast.

5)      Blue Union Rags is the most experienced filly in the field with 6 life time starts with her maiden win in her last.  The well-traveled miss, five different tracks in the six starts, and two different surfaces, would have to step up her game big time to complete here.

6)      Gypsy Janie brings three life time wins with her, one win was two starts back on an Aqueduct track labeled good.  In her last race Gypsy ran a nice second in the mud.  Looks to rate just off the pace and should have no problem with the wetness and distance.

7)      Shamrock Rose ships in from Woodbine with a Stakes win in her maiden voyage in the Ontario Debutante and has Grade 3 experience while finishing second in the Mazarine two back.  Has yet to compete on the dirt and hasn’t raced since the end of October.

8)      My Miss Lilly returns to New York following a nice run in the Forward Gal (G3) at Gulfstream the beginning of February.  She won her debut in December at Aqueduct in on a sloppy sealed track at six furloughs.  I like this miss from the outside in the slop.

The Play

$40 Win & Place #8........In the exotics will be mixing the 8 with the 2-3-6-7

Have a Day.