Nine Fillies Pass Entry Box in Redrawn Busanda

Nine 3-year-old fillies will look to enhance their resumes around two turns on Sunday at Aqueduct Racetrack in the 43^rd running of the $100,000 Busanda at one mile and 70 yards.

 

The Busanda was postponed from last Saturday due to a blizzard, and was redrawn with two new entrants in Lost Raven and Invite. It will be run as race 9 on the 10-race card along with the $100,000 Maddie May, with a first race post time of 12:20 p.m.

 

Trainer Todd Pletcher, who has won the past three editions of the Busanda with Overprepared, Fierce Boots and Princess of Sylmar, will be represented by both 5-2 morning-line favorite Alto Belle, who when last seen rolled to an eye-popping 18 ½-length maiden victory on November 20 at the Big A, and Lost Raven, most recently second in the Marshua Stakes at Laurel Park.

 

Alto Belle, a bay daughter of Trappe Shot, out of the Tiznow mare Katy Now, had finished second in her September debut in the mud in an off-the-turf event, and next was sixth going 1 1/16 miles on the turf, both at Belmont Park, and all with Hall of Famer John Velazquez aboard.

 

Although she has not raced in 60 days, Alto Belle has had a series of half-mile works, most recently going the distance in 50.20 seconds on January 25 over Belmont's training track. Irad Ortiz, Jr. will replace Velazquez with the duo leaving from post position 5.

 

Lost Raven, 5-1 on the morning line, will be ridden by Manny Franco from post position 3.

 

Flora Dora has one victory to her credit, but it was an impressive one as she came from far back to take the My Dear Girl in October at Gulfstream Park. The First Dude filly subsequently ran second to Big World in the Grade 3 Tempted and fourth, beaten three lengths by winner Lewis Bay, in the Grade 2 Demoiselle.

 

Trained by Marialice Coffey, Flora Dora will leave from the rail with Aqueduct's leading rider, Jose Ortiz, aboard. She is listed at 3-1 on the morning line.

 

The Leah Gyarmati-trained Scatoosh apparently found the inner track to her liking, breaking her maiden on January 1 going 1 1/16 miles in her sixth career start. Previously, the Scat Daddy miss collected three straight second-place finishes and two sixth-place finishes, both on the turf and in off the turf events.

 

Kendrick Carmouche will ride Scatoosh, 4-1 on the morning line, from post position 8.