Mother Goose Stakes 2011 – Todd Pletcher trained Buster’s Ready wins under John Velazquez
After failing in her first attempt to score a stakes win for trainer, Todd Pletcher, Buster’s Ready scored a win in the Grade 1 Mother Goose Stakes on June 25, 2011
It was the fourth win for Todd Pletcher, who won it last with Devil May Care in 2010. Todd Pletcher is the two time Eclipse Award winning trainer. When asked about the filly, he said, “She's been steadily improving all winter and spring and she's a filly
we always felt wanted more distance”.
She repelled her hot pursuers and savoured her Grade 1 debut. Her reins were held by jockey, John Velazquez. The Mother Goose Stakes has a purse of about $250,000. The race was being run for the 55th time. The final time over the dirt surface
of Belmont track was 1 minute and 42.44 seconds. The race was run over a distance of 8.5 furlongs.
The three year old bay filly is owned by Estate of Edward P. Evans. She was bred at Virginia. Buster’s Ready is out of mare, Beaten Buster. Beaten Buster herself was out of the Honour and Glory mare.
The three year old daughter of More than Ready claimed her maiden at Aqueduct in November 18, 2010. She stepped into the Mother Goose Stakes after being runner-up in the Black Eyed Susan Stakes on May 20, 2011.
The race began with Alseera taking the lead. Her jockey, Alan Garcia grappled with the filly to get control of her before the filly went onto bump into the outside fence. That left Buster’s Ready and Salty Strike racing in top positions.
Buster’s Ready continued to race behind Salty Strike for six furlongs posting fractions of about 23.55 and 47.03 seconds. Velazquez expressed his doubt about winning in the following words, “I didn’t think I was going to be on the lead, that’s for sure.
We were planning that I was going to be second or third”.
Soon, both the leaders were joined by a third duellist, R Gypsy Gold, the winner’s stable mate. Joyful Victory coming off a fourth position in the May 6, 2011, Kentucky Oaks posed a real challenge for the front runners.
She rallied but Buster’s Ready dispatched her rivals and was dominant in the final furlong and won the race. Joyful Victory, the 4-5 favourite succumbed to a second position, he got beat by 4 1/4-lengths. As R Gypsy claimed third position, Salty Strike came
in fourth.
Buster’s Ready paid $9.40 to win. This was her fourth win from nine starts. Pletcher satisfied with her performance intends to race her in the Grade 1 Coaching Club American Oaks, which is to be held on July 23, 2011 at Saratoga.
He expressed his views about the filly by saying “She’s kind of finding her rhythm now. She’s putting it all together”. It is hoped that Buster’s Ready races and boosts her earnings, which are currently about, $290,084.
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