Bus Buzz takes them all the way in Real Good Deal
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No one could keep pace with Bus Buzz in Friday’s $175,000 Real Good Deal Stakes for California-bred 3-year-olds at Del Mar.
Bus Buzz took the lead a few strides after the start and ran clear of five rivals through the seven-furlong race for 3-year-olds.
Sent off as the second choice, Bus Buzz ($5.80) set fractions of 22.10 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 44.23 for a half-mile. Ridden by Edwin Maldonado, Bus Buzz won by 4 1/4-length in a driving finish. He was timed in 1:22.97 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 88.
Giver Not a Taker (6-1) closed from fourth to finish a clear second, 2 1/4 lengths in front of 4-1 Clouseau, who raced in third on the backstretch.
Barely Funtional, Kangaroo Court, and Boss Sully completed the order of finish. Geezer was scratched.
Kangaroo Court, who beat Bus Buzz in two races at Santa Anita earlier this year, was the 7-5 favorite but was never a factor. Kangaroo Court chased Bus Buzz on the backstretch, but faded from contention on the turn.
This was the first meeting between Kangaroo Court and Bus Buzz since they finished first and second by a head in the $151,000 Echo Eddie Stakes for statebreds at 6 1/2 furlongs at Santa Anita in April.
Trained by Steve Knapp, Bus Buzz won his first stakes in the Real Good Deal.
Bus Buzz followed the loss in the Echo Eddie Stakes with an emphatic win in an allowance race against older California-breds by 6 1/2 lengths at six furlongs at Santa Anita on May 28.
By Stay Thirsty, Bus Buzz has won 3 of 5 starts and earned $222,750.
Bus Buzz was bred by Terry Lovingier, who co-owns the gelding with Tom Halasz and Amanda Navarro.
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