In what was easily the biggest upset of Saturday's Louisiana Champions Day card at Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans, La., the Whispering Oaks Farm homebred Buckley Bunny rallied from far off the pace to take down the $100,000 Lassie.
Ninth early behind contested fractions of :21.98 and :45.86, the sophomore daughter of Iron Fist picked off a couple of horses on the turn under jockey Kevin Smith before uncorking the winning, five-wide rally in the stretch.
“The plan was just letting her settle herself in and make one run with her. Mr. Steve (trainer Flint) said don't rush her. I took her back, waited until the 3/8ths pole, and let her run. I did what he told me to do. When I let her go, she fought.”
Basalt Street (6.00-1) and Beleout (37.10) battled early, with 2.00-1 favorite Free Like a Girl, the winner of three consecutive stakes coming in, tucked in fifth. She tipped out three-wide and made a solid bid in the stretch, but was simply outkicked by the longshot winner, losing by ¾ of a length over six furlongs run in 1:11.76. It was just another neck back to the late closing Medley (3.80-1) in third.
“I don't think she had any pace to run into last time,” Flint explained. “It's not like filly the filly wouldn't appreciate a stretch like today. We had some pace. Kevin rode her to a tee. I told him, don't move until you hit the 3/8ths pole, let her go, and let's see what we got. She responded well. I got a little of that (93-1).”
A winner at first asking back in June, Buckley Bunny entered the Lassie on a four-race losing streak. She now sports a career record of 6-2-1-1 with earnings of $93.660.
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