Five fillies will try their luck in Sunday’s $100,000 Busanda Stakes at Aqueduct, and all but one is exiting a maiden win.
That one is 6-5 morning-line favorite Libby’s Tail, who broke her maiden at Belmont Park last July. Since then the Rudy Rodriguez trainee has finished fourth in the Adirondack Stakes (G2), second by a head in the Frizette Stakes (G1) and fourth in the Demoiselle Stakes (G2).
Irad Ortiz Jr. has the call on Libby’s Tail in the mile-and-70-yard Busanda.
Lining up against the dark bay daughter of Tiz Wonderful are the likes of Sand Shark and Lockdown. The former took two tries to get her initial win, with that coming at Gulfstream Park on December 4. The Todd Pletcher pupil will stretch out past seven furlongs for this one and have new rider Manuel Franco holding the reins.
Lockdown gets first-time Lasix in this spot after taking her maiden by 3 1/2 lengths over Aqueduct’s inner dirt on December 17. She ran 1 1/16 miles in that second outing and unites with Kendrick Carmouche in this spot for trainer Bill Mott.
No Sweat broke her maiden by a nose for Pletcher and Frank’s Folly took hers by 4 1/2 lengths for Kelly Breen. The pair complete the short field for the Busanda, which offers points to the Kentucky Oaks (G1) on a 10-4-2-1 scale to the top four finishers.
