Aqueduct: Captivating Lass likely headed south

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - As nice as the program is for 3-year-old males going long, New York’s stakes program for 3-year-old fillies wanting a route of ground is lacking. After the $100,000 Busanda last Saturday, the next scheduled stakes for 3-year-old fillies around two turns isn’t until the $75,000 Busher on Feb. 25.

That’s why McLaughlin is expected to ship Busanda winner Captivating Lass to south Florida in the near future to train, with the possibility of running in either the $250,000 Davona Dale at Gulfstream on Feb. 25 or the $200,000 Rachel Alexandra at Fair Grounds, the same day.

“Because of the lack of a race we’ll probably have to ship her down here,” McLaughlin said.

Captivating Lass ran down Sweet Seventeen to win the Busanda by a neck. Sweet Seventeen, who failed to switch leads in the stretch of the race, will likely make her next start in the $150,000 Florida Oaks, a 1 1/16-mile turf race at Tampa Bay Downs, on Feb. 4, trainer Graham Motion said.