—Mar 3— Mark Casse’s Shamrock and Mark Hennig’s My Miss Lilly will renew their rivalry in the 40th running of the Busher Stakes at Aqueduct on Saturday. Shamrock Rose will be making her second start of the year— she finished second, two-and-a-half lengths behind My Miss Lilly in the Busanda Stakes here in January— and is expected to improve off that effort. She was the 9/5 favorite that day.
My Miss Lilly will be making the fourth start of what has been, to date, a busy campaign that has involved traveling from Gulfstream Park in Florida and Aqueduct in New York. She’s earned a race-high $104,500 from three starts that have netted one win, a place and a show. She finished second in the Grade III Forward Gal Stakes at Gulfstream Park in her last start.
The Busher Stakes features a competitive field this year. War Heroine, who ships in from California, was a close second to Midnight Bisou in her debut in the Grade II Santa Ynez Stakes at Santa Anita over seven panels. Traveling across the country, Ware Heroine finished third behind the top two in the Busanda Stakes just eighteen days later before returning to California to finish second in the Sweet Life Stakes on turf over the 6-1/2 furlongs downhill course.
Midnight Disguise was fourth in her debut in the Busanda and figures to improve. Sara Street was impressive in an Allowance race at Gulfstream Park but was badly beaten in the Busanda Stakes, where she finished last. Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, pointing to the short rest between races, is confident his filly will make a much better account of herself in the Busher.
Finally, Linda Rice’s filly, Split Time, by Take Charge Indy will be making her first start of the year and it expected to be heavily bet.
Retro Horse Racing Game 