Midnight Disguise goes last to first in Aqueduct's Busher Stakes
Midnight Disguise,
the second choice to West Coast invader War Heroine in Aqueduct’s $200,000 Busher
Stakes, went last to first to pick up 50 more points Saturday on the Kentucky Oaks 2018 trail.
A New York-bred filly by Midnight Lute, Midnight Disguise jumped from maiden claiming to Oaks contender under the direction of Linda Rice. Following her debut and starter allowance wins, she ran second in the East View Stakes for state-bred fillies before earning 10 Oaks points in the Busanda Stakes.
"She really kicks into gear late," said Rice. "She's a big filly and she's obviously learned a lot, and we've made a lot of progress with her in the last three months and I was delighted. This was a much tougher race than she'd run in thus far. We were aware of the obviously, but she seems to step through every hurdle we give her. I'm very excited."
War Heroine, who shipped in from Santa Anita Park for trainer Peter Miller, went straight to the front and controlled the early fractions of :24.57 and :48.96, followed by Sara Street, Shamrock Rose, Gypsy Janie, My Miss Lilly and Midnight Disguise.
War Heroine came to the quarter pole in 1:13.80 and still held the lead, but jockey Trevor McCarthy was winding up Midnight Disguise on the outside. The pacesetter began to fade in the stretch and Sara Street was able to briefly take the lead, with My Miss Lilly looking for racing room.
Midnight Disguise came rolling on the outside and quickly made up ground. She surged past Sara Street to win by 1 ¾ lengths. The final time for the one-mile Oaks prep was 1:39.15.
"I was very happy. The wind is strong today, so she broke well for me," McCarthy said. "I just got her to relax and just kind of eased her back. She's a big filly. She doesn't want to be bottled up too much, so it was good.
"I was able to sit just about last with her and follow a little cover for a little while down the backside. She's one that likes to be on the outside. She's a big filly [with a] huge stride, so there's no sense in to keeping her bottled up inside. You just kind of get her out and get her momentum rolling, and it just seems like she's improving every race. I think the more ground, the better for her, so I was happy she got the mile today, but I definitely think she'll improve with distance."
My Miss Lilly got up for third, followed by Shamrock Rose, War Heroine and Gypsy Janie. Youvegottopaytopla and Blue Union Rags scratched.
"We're pointing towards the [Grade 2] Gazelle [on April 7]," Rice said of Midnight Disguise, "and that would be the natural stepping stone to the [Kentucky] Oaks. I've never run in the Oaks, and the possibility is very exciting."