Ky. Oaks trail: Brown's Ramify leads Busanda in stakes debut

Juddmonte homebred Ramify will make her stakes debut on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks in Saturday’s $125,000 Busanda, a nine-furlong test for sophomore fillies, at Aqueduct.

The Busanda awards the top five finishers 20-10-6-4-2 qualifying points towards the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks on May 2 at Churchill Downs.

Ramify, a chestnut daughter of Munnings, arrives off a determined half-length graduation on debut going a one-turn mile on Dec. 8 at Aqueduct. Trained by four-time Eclipse Award-winner Chad Brown, Ramify was 13 lengths back in last place of five through the half-mile call while racing greenly,. But she responded well when asked in the turn by Flavien Prat to pick it up and make her bid for the lead. She assumed command in the stretch and gamely turned back the challenge of returning rival My Sherrona, completing the course in 1:38.64 and earning a field-best 76 Beyer Speed Figure from Daily Racing Form.

Ramify, out of the winning Tapit mare Chamber, hails from a long line of reine-de-course broodmares, her dam side including Miss Carmie, Hall of Famer Chris Evert and Nijinsky Star. Her second dam is multiple Grade 1-winner Sightseek, a half-sister to dual Grade 1-winner Takes Creek, who also produced Grade 3-placed sire Raison d’Etat.

Ramify has worked back four times over Belmont Park’s dirt training track since her debut, including a half-mile in 49.68 seconds Sunday. She will be ridden by Jose Lezcano from post 3 on Saturday.

Running Away made her first two starts on turf and switched to dirt last out for a dominant five-length graduation Nov. 30 at Churchill Downs for trainer Wesley Ward.

The daughter of Gun Runner posted two strong on-the-board efforts over turf when a half-length second to eventual Grade 2-placed Virgin Colada at Saratoga and a neck third at Keeneland in July and October, respectively, with pacesetting trips going a route of ground. She employed the same tactics in victory going 1 1/16 miles last out, making the early lead in the field of 10 and never looking back under Hall of Famer John Velazquez. The effort was awarded a 74 Beyer.

“She seems like she’s going to relish the distance, so we picked this race early on and targeted it, and she’s training forward,” Ward said. “She just broke and sat, and when Johnny called on her, away she went. I think she can run on the grass, and she ran a few good races over it, but she’s always had very quick, fast works on the dirt. I probably should have switched her over sooner than I did. She’s a big, rangy, long-bodied type filly, so I didn’t want to race her too much at 2 and wanted her fresh and developing now that she’s 3.”

Ward said the filly’s front-running style comes easily to her with her quickness from the gate.

“She just breaks and goes. That’s the way she trains in the mornings too, on the bridle right from the start,” Ward said. “Once she gets there, she’s pretty relaxed.”

Running Away is out of the Brazilian Group 3-placed Unbridled’s Song mare Allez Marie, who has produced four black type runners, including 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.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher has entered the pair of multiple stakes-placed Carmen’s Candy Jar and debut maiden-winner Ruth as he vies for a record-extending sixth Busanda victory following past success with Always Shopping in 2019, Overprepared in 2015, Fierce Boots in 2014, Princess of Sylmar in 2013 and Dance Quietly in 2011.

Repole Stable’s homebred Carmen’s Candy Jar enters from a distant fifth-place finish in the Demoiselle (G2) going this distance on Dec. 7 at Aqueduct in her first start with blinkers. The daughter of Vino Rosso finished on the board in three state-bred stakes last year, posting a runner-up finish to Accelerating in the Spa’s Seeking the Ante, and third-place efforts in the local Joseph A. Gimma and Maid of the Mist.

Carmen’s Candy Jar is out of the Uncle Mo mare No Mo Shopping, a half-sister to dual graded stakes-winner Always Shopping, winner of the 2019 Busanda. Her second dam is Grade 1-placed Stopshoppingmaria, who finished second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf for Repole and Pletcher.

Carmen's Candy Jar is cross-entered in Friday's sixth race at the Big A, a 6 1/2-furlong state-bred optional claimer.