Running Away lived up to her name by seizing the lead at the start and rolling to a gate-to-wire victory in the $125,000 Busanda Stakes on a wet Saturday at Aqueduct.
Sent off as the 3-5 favorite in a field reduced to six after three scratches, Running Away ($5.10) broke smartly from the outside post, was taken near the rail early on and was never seriously challenged in winning by 2 ¼ lengths over My Sherrona.
“I had instructions from [trainer] Wesley Ward to take the lead and looking at the form I saw the one [Sharp Smile] had speed, the seven [My Sherrona] had a little bit of speed,’’ jockey Sahin Civaci said. “If they were going to send hard, I would have sat off of them, but luckily the one stumbled a little bit, and I managed to get the lead.
“Just took care of it with easy fractions and she is a nice horse, she kicked on well.”
The Busanda is a points qualifier for the Kentucky Oaks (G1) on May 2, with Running Away earning 20 points for her second straight win on dirt after starting off with a second and third on turf.
The next four finishers – My Sherrona, Sharp Smile, Ramify, and Beautiful Blome – picked up 10-6-4-2 Oaks points. Ruth, who stumbled badly at the start, was sixth.
Bernieandtherose, Bless the Broken, and Carmen’s Candy Jar were scratched.
Ward, known for training top 2-year-olds, now could have himself a 3-year-old filly for the Oaks at Churchill Downs.
The trainer based in Kentucky said he’d look next at the Ashland Stakes (G1) at Keeneland on April 4 as a next start for Running Away. It’s “my home track and I try to keep everything here.’’ He said he’ll talk with the owners and make a decision as the race gets closer.
Winning time for the 1 1/8 miles was 1:52.23 over a track listed as fast. The weather was cool and rainy most of the day.
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