Ky. Oaks prep: Running Away leads whole way in Busanda

Stud TNT’s Kentucky homebred Running Away did just that in the stretch to make a successful stakes debut in Saturday’s black-type, $125,000 Busanda at Aqueduct.

The 1 1/8-mile test for 3-year-old fillies awarded the top five finishers with 20-10-6-4-2 qualifying points towards the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks on May 2 at Churchill Downs.

Click here for Aqueduct entries and results.

Trained by Wesley Ward, the daughter of Gun Runner doubled up on victories after a last-out graduation at third asking in a 1 1/16-mile maiden at Churchill Downs in her first effort over the main track. The chestnut filly made her first two starts on turf, finishing on the board with a half-length second on debut in July at Saratoga and a neck third in October at Keeneland.

Ward said Running Away’s speed was useful over a track that frontrunners relished throughout the afternoon.

“We had a plan going in with this filly,” Ward said by phone from Kentucky. “She’s very quick in the mornings for being a big filly, and we were going to just take it really easy in the warmup and keep her nice and relaxed. Our plan was to have the jock (Sihan Civaci) come away from there holding first jump, and I changed my tactics after watching the races there all day. I told the jock, look, everything I told you, just throw it out, and ride her however you want. You know the track as good as anybody there today, so whatever you think best, that's what we’re going to do.”

Running Away led every step of the way to victory after emerging sharply from the outermost post 6 and crossing over to the two path to mark an opening quarter-mile in 22.83 seconds over the fast main track.

Sharp Smile held the rail position to track in second through the first turn but was met with pressure from My Sherrona as the field made its way onto the backstretch. Kendrick Carmouche-piloted Ruth was coaxed along from last after a bad stumble at the start. Civaci remained collected aboard Running Away as she reached the half-mile in 48.50 seconds and three-quarters in 1:13.54 before Romero Maragh called on My Sherrona to her outside and Manny Franco got to work atop Sharp Smile, who stumbled at the start.

Civaci shook the reins exiting the turn, and Running Away maintained her advantage over the driving My Sherrona to her outside, keeping to task with a few right-handed taps of the crop. Sharp Smile gave chase in vain on the inside, and Ramify put in a belated run. Running Away never was threatened in the final sixteenth of a mile, and she kept on strongly to cross the wire 2 1/4 lengths in front with a final time of 1:52.23.

My Sherrona demonstrated her knack for finishing second for the third time in three lifetime outings, picking up place honors by one length over Sharp Smile. Ramify, Beautiful Blome and hard-luck Ruth completed the order of finish. Carmen’s Candy Jar, who finished third in an optional-claiming tilt Friday at the Big A; Bless the Broken, who finished second later Saturday in the Silverbulletday at Fair Grounds; and Bernieandtherose were scratched.

Ward said he was confident in Running Away throughout the latter stages.

"As soon as we fell into the turn, and we had the lead, and I saw her prick her ears, I knew that we were in really good shape,” he said. “The weather here in Kentucky has been compromised to train a route horse like this. It’s been a while since her last start, and she wasn’t cranked as much as I’d like, but her ability got her there as well as the track played in our favor.”

The win marked the seventh this week at Aqueduct for Civaci, who also teamed with Ward to win a state-bred, optional-claiming tilt aboard Whatchatalkinabout on Thursday. The top Woodbine-based jockey who moved his tack to New York in late December, Civaci said Running Away was professional in victory.

"I had instructions from Wesley Ward to take the lead, and looking at the form, I saw (Sharp Smile) had speed,” Civaci said. “(My Sherrona) had a little bit of speed. If they were going to send hard, I would have sat off of them, but luckily (Sharp Smile) stumbled a little bit, and I managed to get the lead. Just took care of it with easy fractions, and she is a nice horse. She kicked on well.

"Coming into this New York meet, I had a lot of support. I rode for some good owners and trainers up in Canada. It carries forward to being here. It is a little different surface here. Dirt. You get a lot of kickback here compared to the Tapeta. I managed to get used to that now, and just settling into New York generally, those were the only challenges pretty much.”

Ward said Running Away is likely to target the 1 1/16-mile Ashland (G1) on April 4 at Keeneland rather than the 1 1/8-mile Gazelle (G3) on April 5 at the Big A. Each race offers 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points to the top five finishers.

"My home track is Keeneland, and I try to run everything here,” Ward said. “With the Ashland being around the same time (as the Gazelle), we’ll have a discussion with (Stud TNT’s) Gonçalo Torrealba and his team and make a decision as we get closer.”

Running Away became the fifth black-type runner out of the Brazil Group 3-placed Unbridled’s Song mare Allez Marie, who also produced stakes winners Legalize and Workaholic, Grade 3-placed sire Tomato Bill and dual stakes-placed Fouette. Her second dam is 2005 Kentucky Oaks winner Summerly.

On Saturday, Running Away banked $68,750 in victory while returning $5.10 on a $2 win wager.

Romero Maragh, aboard Ray Handal-trained My Sherrona, said the daughter of Not This Time was valiant in defeat.

"The winner kept going,” Maragh said. “She out broke us and cleared us, but that was the favorite, so I always wanted to keep her in our crosshairs and apply a bit of pressure, but that horse just kept going,” Maragh said. “I’m proud of my filly. She is still a maiden, but every time she runs, she tries and keeps improving. She is getting more calm and relaxed. Ray and his team has done a tremendous job with her. Her attitude has gotten so much better, and she is just a nice racehorse.”