Jockey Schilling from Fern Circle Stables is aiming for his second regional stakes victory in the $150,000 Busanda, a one-mile race for sophomore fillies at Aqueduct Racecourse scheduled for Saturday. Previously run at nine furlongs, the Busanda provides Kentucky Oaks qualifying points distributed as 20-10-6-4-2.
Schilling, trained by Kenny McPeak, has competed at Aqueduct in all four career starts, including a fourth-place finish in the Grade 2 Demoiselle Stakes on December 6. In that race, Schilling was the pacemaker, pushed hard by the winner Zanny, who won by eight and a half lengths and earned two Kentucky Oaks points. Zanny has since trained twice at Belmont Park, including a recent half-mile breeze time of 49.86 seconds.
McPeak noted, “She’s doing well. She probably didn’t want the extra distance in the Demoiselle, but this distance suits her for the winter.”
Global Campaign Bay enters after a strong four-length victory in the Tempted Stakes on November 6. This win follows a score on October 16 and a third-place finish against returning rival Great Britain. Schilling’s first win earned a high 76 Beyer Speed Figure in his cohort. McPeak praised her natural speed and smooth advancement through maiden and stakes levels, expressing optimism for her performance in the mile-long Busanda.
At the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, McPeak purchased Schilling for $105,000, sired by Global Campaign’s young stallion, a son of Curlin. The Global Campaign stallion Universe will also be represented by Smarty Jones at Oaklawn Park on Saturday.
AMO Racing USA’s New York-bred Britten, trained by Chad Brown and purchased for $1.05 million at the OBS March Sale, recently finished a stylish second in a seven-furlong sprint against open company on November 20. Britten, bred in New York by 3C Stables, is out of Grade 1-placed Congrats mare Toasting and closely related to stakes winner Rivers Run Lily.
EGL-One Racing’s Two Bits, trained by Amelia Green and ridden by Jaime Rodriguez, aims for a black-type win. Purchased for $75,000 at Keeneland’s yearling sale, Two Bits is a Kentucky-bred daughter of Bernardini, with strong bloodlines including two-time G1 winner Finders Fee. Originally seen as a turf prospect, Two Bits has shown improvement on dirt, especially when stretching out to longer distances.
Green remarked on Two Bits’ solid build and special place in their hearts, noting her progress with longer distances and optimism for the mile race.
Maryland-bred Dazzling Dame, trained by Brittany Russell, has won three of four starts, including two stakes races. She recently won the White Clay Creek at Delaware Park with a career-best 76 Beyer speed figure. Known for her strong finishes, Dazzling Dame is considered a robust filly with a powerful engine and promising potential for the upcoming mile race.
Believable, trained by Todd Pletcher for Lepore Stable, looks to return to winning form after solid performances at Tempted and Demoiselle. Carlin Bay, purchased for $800,000 and trained by Pletcher, has a promising pedigree with a full sister who is a graded stakes winner. Midfield talent includes David Heaton’s Midnight Genie, who recently claimed his first victory, and Cloud Computing’s Dark Bay, purchased for $75,000 and out of stakes-winning mare Clever Beauty.
This news highlights the depth of talent and promising young horses in the pipeline, signaling an exciting future for horse racing fans. The performances and breeding connections showcased here underline the sport’s ongoing evolution and the importance of nurturing new stars to keep the racing tradition vibrant and competitive.
