Rushie, third behind Honor A. P. (Honor Code) and Authentic (Into Mischief) in the GI Runhappy Santa Anita Derby June 6 and behind Art Collector (Bernardini) and Swiss Skydiver (Daredevil) in the GII Toyota Blue Grass S. at Keeneland last out July 11, benefitted from a bit of class relief and cutback in distance to break through at the graded level.
Away in good order from the outside stall, the grey settled fifth early but worked his way up to third and deep as Vertical Threat (Tapiture) set the pace from a hard-held Tap It To Win. Coasting up outside those two nearing the stretch, Rushie was roused to the lead at the three-sixteenths and ran out a convincing winner.
“I had the perfect trip,” said winning rider Javier Castellano. “I was outside and took advantage of it. The way the race developed it was perfect, it was what I was looking for today. We sat two or three lengths off the pace and I kept track of those horses. When we turned for home, I asked him and the horse responded so well. I think the mile was perfect today for the horse. I’m glad we got it done.”
Rushie’s set of past performances is a who’s who of this year’s Triple Crown trail. He was a well-beaten sixth to Thousand Words (Pioneerof the Nile) sprinting at Santa Anita last October, and resurfaced to graduate when stretched out to this distance (but around two turns) back in Arcadia Feb. 1. A distant second to brilliant ‘TDN Rising Star’ Charlatan (Speightstown) in a Mar. 14 optional claimer, he cleared his first-level allowance condition over GII Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth S. runner-up Candy Tycoon (Twirling Candy) at Oaklawn May 2 before his aforementioned graded tries, and had been under consideration for the GI Kentucky Derby.
“Part of me wanted to go with the Derby,” admitted trainer Mike McCarthy. “The horse was training well all along but I can’t thank the owners enough for supporting me. We ended up in the Pat Day Mile and were rewarded with a great effort. Hopefully this race sets us up for a solid fall campaign. I’m not sure which way we go from here. It’s been a long day and a tough day yesterday in the [GI Kentucky] Oaks [with fourth finisher Speech {Mr Speaker}], so we’re just going to savor this one and see what happens down the road.”
Pedigree Notes:
Rushie becomes the third graded stakes winner for second-crop sire Liam’s Map (Unbridled’s Song), who is also responsible for Thursday’s GIII Pocahontas S. runner-up Crazy Beautiful. He’s the first graded winner for Colonel John as a broodmare sire. Unraced dam Conquest Angel, a $300,000 OBS April grad and half-sister to Grade I-winning juvenile Peace and War (War Front), was carrying Rushie when she sold to Ocala Stud for $120,000 at the 2016 Keeneland November dispersal of Conquest Stables. Rushie is her first foal, and breezed in :21 3/5 at last year’s OBS March sale. Conquest Angel has an unraced 2-year-old filly by Uncaptured, a yearling filly by Jess’s Dream and a foal colt by Awesome Slew. She was bred back to Awesome Slew for 2021.
Saturday, Churchill Downs
PAT DAY MILE S. PRESENTED BY LG AND E AND KU-GII, $500,000, Churchill Downs, 9-5, 3yo, 1m, 1:34.41, ft.
1–RUSHIE, 118, c, 3, by Liam’s Map
               1st Dam: Conquest Angel, by Colonel John
               2nd Dam: More Oats Please, by Smart Strike
               3rd Dam: Miss Yiayia, by Gilded Time
  1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($70,000
2yo ’19 OBSMAR). O-Jim & Donna Daniell; B-Ocala Stud (FL);
T-Michael W. McCarthy; J-Javier Castellano. $303,800. Lifetime
Record: 7-3-1-2, $493,151. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the
  eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Sonneman, 118, c, 3, Curlin–Zardana (Brz), by Crimson Tide
(Ire). ($375,000 Ylg ’18 KEESEP). O-Courtlandt Farms (Donald
and Donna Adam); B-Arnold Zetcher LLC (KY); T-Steven M.
Asmussen. $98,000.
3–Tap It to Win, 118, r, 3, Tapit–Onepointhreekarats, by
Medaglia d’Oro. O-Live Oak Plantation; B-Live Oak Stud (FL);
T-Mark E. Casse. $49,000.
Margins: 1 3/4, HF, 1 1/4. Odds: 2.90, 25.80, 3.50.
Also Ran: Shashashakemeup, Echo Town, Vertical Threat, Digital. Scratched: Cezanne, No Parole. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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