Occult Leaves No Doubt In Busanda

Picked up for $625,000 by Alpha Delta Stables LLC out of the 2021 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Occult missed out in fourth on her debut at Belmont's Aqueduct meeting Sept. 17 but returned at one mile to break her maiden in style by 4 1/4 lengths to finish her juvenile season Dec. 18. The 7-5 choice for her first try against stakes company, Occult had a sharp beginning but was outrun into the first turn by Sweetest Princess (Cairo Prince) to her outside. Patiently handled by jockey Dylan Davis in second, Occult settled nicely and held that position up the backstretch even as the field began to bunch up around her in pursuit of Sweetest Princess.  Asked for her run as she passed the quarter pole just outside of the leader, Occult drove by with over a furlong to run and was much the best late, winning geared down by a clear margin. The win gives the filly 20 points on the road to the Kentucky Oaks.

“She had a beautiful trip,” said winning trainer Chad Brown. “I thought we were maybe the lone speed in race, and I talked to Dylan [Davis] this morning and thought we could come out of there and get the lead, but that other horse [No. 4, Sweetest Princess] showed so much interest and was adamant up there on the lead. I thought Dylan used great judgement to just secure that second stalking spot out in the clear. From there, it seemed like she was always traveling well and she had the jump on the other two main competition in the race right behind her. I was really pleased with the filly's effort and Dylan's heads-up ride.”

Magical Feeling last produced a 2-year-old colt, Imagination (Into Mischief), and visited Gun Runner for a 2023 foal. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.

BUSANDA S., $97,000, Aqueduct, 1-14, 3yo, f, 1 1/8m, 1:54.78, gd.
1–OCCULT, 120, f, 3, by Into Mischief
                1st Dam: Magical Feeling (GSW & GISP, $554,532), by Empire Maker
                2nd Dam: Magical Mood (GB), by Forestry
                3rd Dam: Good Mood, by Devil's Bag
($625,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP). 1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-Alpha
Delta Stables, LLC; B-Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds, LLC (KY);
T-Chad C. Brown; J-Dylan Davis. $55,000. Lifetime Record:
3-2-0-0, $107,450. *1/2 to Magical (Tapit), SW, $164,550;
Exulting (Tapit), MSW, $687,370.
2–Gambling Girl, 120, f, 3, Dialed In–Tulipmania,
by Empire Maker. ($200,000 Ylg '21 SARAUG). O-Repole
Stable; B-Gallagher's Stud (NY); T-Todd A. Pletcher. $20,000.
3–Affirmative Lady, 120, f, 3, Arrogate–Stiffed,
by Stephen Got Even. ($210,000 Ylg '21 KEESEP; $400,000
2yo '22 OBSAPR). O-AMO Racing USA; B-Alastar Thoroughbred
Co, LLC (KY); T-H. Graham Motion. $12,000.
Margins: 3 3/4, 3 1/4, NO. Odds: 1.40, 3.75, 1.90.
Also Ran: Sweetest Princess, Aniston.

The post Occult Leaves No Doubt In Busanda appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Derby Preps Highlight Aqueduct Winter Stakes Schedule

A trio of GI Kentucky Derby preps highlight the Aqueduct 2023 winter meet stakes schedule, which was released by NYRA Wednesday. The 44-day winter meet, which begins Jan. 1 and runs through Mar. 26, will offer a total of 25 stakes races worth $3.2 million. Live racing will be conducted Thursday to Sunday until Feb. 12 and will move to a Friday to Sunday schedule from Feb. 17 through the end of the meet.

Stakes action kicks off on opening day with the first Derby prep, the $150,000 Jerome S., which offers 10 qualifying points to the winner. The next Derby qualifier will be the 20-point, $250,000 GIII Withers S. Feb. 4 and the third is the $300,000 GIII Gotham S., worth 50 points, to be held Mar. 4.

The winter meet also includes two prep races for the GI Kentucky Oaks, starting with the $100,000 Busanda S., a 20-point qualifying race. The other is the $200,000 Busher S. Mar. 4, worth 50 qualifying points.

The first graded race will be the $150,000 GIII Toboggan S. Jan. 28 and the final graded event takes place on Gotham day, the GIII Tom Fool H.

Aqueduct will host a special President's Day card Monday, Feb. 20, which will be highlighted by the $100,000 Haynesfield S. for older New York-bred males.

The final weekend of the winter meet will feature the $100,000 East View S. for New York-bred sophomore fillies Mar. 24, followed by New York Claiming Championship Day Saturday, Mar. 25 with six starter events offering a combined $380,000 in purse money.

Click here for the full winter meet stakes schedule.

The post Derby Preps Highlight Aqueduct Winter Stakes Schedule appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights