Current Yield has plenty to prove in Listed $200K Busher
Klaravich Stables’ Current Yield has plenty to prove as she steps up in class off a winning debut for Saturday’s Listed $200,000 Busher, a one-turn mile for sophomore fillies, at Aqueduct Racetrack.
Five-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown has won the Busher with Search Results [2021], who was a close second in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks for Klaravich Stables; and Shidabhuti [2023] for Peter Brant.
Current Yield is this year’s challenger for Brown off a 1 3/4-length debut win sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs on January 31 at Tampa Bay Downs. The Nyquist firster exited post 1-of-11, pressed the pace through a half-mile in 47.15 seconds over the fast dirt, and kicked clear to victory under confident handling from Samy Camacho in a final time of 1:19.90. The winning effort earned a 58 Beyer Speed Figure.
"Her debut at Tampa wasn't that fast but she had the rail in a sprint and had to be pushed the whole way,” Brown said. “She's a route horse. She doesn't really want to be on the lead doing all that. She's a very talented horse, I think. I'll try to stretch her out in this race and see where she takes us.”
Current Yield [post 2, Jaime Rodriguez], working in company with fellow sophomore filly Market Chill, breezed a half-mile in 50 seconds flat on Saturday at Payson Park Training Center in Florida.
"Current Yield had the better of her. I've been letting them train together. I know it’s a little quick back, but I'll send her up,” said Brown. “I was very impressed with her gallop out.”
Current Yield, a $400,000 purchase at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, is out of the Colonel John mare Denali Tizadream, a half-sister to stakes-winner Tax Refund, as well as graded-placed Sophia’s Song and Unbridled Beauty. Her second dam, Dreamscape, is a full-sister to Hall of Famer Housebuster.
Titletown Racing Stables’ Kentucky homebred Interstatelovesong [post 5, Ricardo Santana, Jr.] was a neck second to Two Bits last-out in the seven-furlong Ruthless on February 6 here. Trained by Tom Morley, the Bolt d’Oro bay set the pace from the inside post and led into the lane under returning rider Ricardo Santana, Jr., but Two Bits slipped up the rail and came out on top in a game stretch duel.
“Race circumstances probably played against her a little bit last time,” Morley said. “She's got a fabulous mind. She's very rateable, very tractable and she's also fast.”
The narrow defeat earned a career and field-best 87 Beyer as Interstatelovesong stepped up in class from a pacesetting five-length victory, also from the inside post, sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs on December 26 here to graduate at second asking. She was previously second on debut sprinting a local seven furlongs in November behind Britain, a $1.05 million New York-bred trained by Chad Brown.
“She's a big filly and has done fantastically well in her three starts so far,” said Morley. “We have very high hopes for her. We think that she could be very talented. I'm delighted for her owner-breeder Paul Farr to have a really good filly like this.”
Interstatelovesong is a full-sister to stakes-placed Navy Man and is out of the winning Distorted Humor mare Gentle Humor. Her second dam is multiple graded stakes-winner Be Gentle.
NK Racing and LNJ Foxwoods’ Paradise [post 3, Manny Franco] steps up in class off a pacesetting second-out graduation going one mile on January 4 at Gulfstream Park. Trained by dual Eclipse Award-winner Brad Cox, the Gun Runner chestnut defeated next-out winner Betty’s Pearl by three lengths in a final time of 1:39.78, earning a career-best 73 Beyer.
Paradise was a 1 1/4-length second on debut sprinting six furlongs in November at Churchill Downs. She is cross-entered in Saturday’s one-mile Grade 2 Davona Dale at Gulfstream Park, which is a 50-25-15-10-5 points Kentucky Oaks qualifier.
The well-bred Paradise, a $700,000 purchase at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale, is out of the multiple Grade 1-placed Munnings mare Venetian Harbor – a three-time Grade 2-winner [11-4-5-0, $699,400]. Her second dam is multiple stakes-placed Sounds of the City.
Trainer Whit Beckman captured this race last year with Drexel Hill [2nd in the Kentucky Oaks] and completes this year’s field with Blazing Brat [post 4, Joseph Ramos] and Nycon [post 1, Jaime Torres].
Ribble Farm’s Blazing Brat is set to make her barn debut for Beckman after being purchased by Legion Bloodstock for $100,000 in January at the Fasig-Tipton Digital Sale. Like Paradise, she is cross-entered in the Davona Dale at Gulfstream.
The Beau Liam dark bay was initially campaigned by Blazing Meadows Farm and trained by Timothy Hamm, posting a 5-1-2-1 record including a runner-up effort last out in the six-furlong Sandpiper on December 6 at Tampa Bay Downs. There, Blazing Brat was making her first dirt start following four outings on turf or synthetic including a third-out graduation on the latter in August at Presque Isle Downs.
Icon Racing Stable’s Nycon was a neck second last out in the one-mile Cash Run on January 1 at Gulfstream Park. The Nyquist dark bay earned a career-best 72 Beyer as she stepped up off a 4 3/4-length second-out graduation at the same distance in November at Churchill Downs. She was fourth prior in her seven-furlong debut in October at Keeneland, with returning rider Jaime Torres aboard for all three starts.
Nycon, a $375,000 purchase at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, is out of winning Awesome Again mare Raise the Flag. Her second dam is multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire My Flag, the influential dam of 2002 Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Storm Flag Flying and stakes-winner With Flying Colors. My Flag is a half-sister to Grade 1-winners Miner’s Mark and Traditionally, among an impressive family.
The Busher was scheduled to award 50-25-15-10-5 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points to the top-five finishers, but note that in the event a Championship Series race is run with a five-horse field, only 75 percent of the points will be proportionally awarded. In the event a Championship Series race is run with a four-horse field or less, only 50 percent of the points will be proportionally awarded.
The Busher is slated as Race 2 on Saturday’s 10-race Grade 3, $300,000 Gotham card, a one-turn mile and 50-25-15-10-5 Kentucky Derby qualifier in Race 10. Also featured are the Grade 3, $175,000 Tom Fool, in Race 4, and the Listed $150,000 Stymie, in Race 8. First post is 12:40 p.m. Eastern.
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