Bushrod triumphs in Mystic Lake Turf Express

Speed reigned supreme on the Canterbury Park grass course Saturday night, with all three winners of the track’s stakes races prevailing on the lead.

Taking the richest prize of the evening was Chicago invader Bushrod in the $100,000 Mystic Lake Turf Express, a five-furlong turf dash that had its inaugural running Saturday evening. Last leaving the gate, he asserted himself quickly thereafter, hitting the front down the backstretch. He then caught a breather on the turn and had enough to keep Show Bound at bay by three quarters of a length under Quincy Hamilton.

Fireman Oscar finished third, while favored Jockamo’s Song was fourth.

It was the second consecutive victory for Bushrod, 5-year-old Gray Memo gelding that owner/trainer Judd Becker claimed for $18,000 in May at Arlington Park. A race before the Mystic Lake Turf Express he had won an optional-claiming race Aug. 12 at Arlington.

“The horse just gets better and better,” Becker said.

Bushrod stopped the clock in 56.20 seconds for five furlongs on a firm turf course. He returned $9.40.

Shortly before the Mystic Lake Turf Express, a couple of $50,000 stakes races, the Minnesota H.B.P.A. Distaff and the Brooks Fields, were won by frontrunners Molecules and Ibaka, respectively.

Molecules ($38.20), making her turf debut after having raced exclusively on dirt at Indiana Grand, was able to race uncontested in front for much of the $50,000 Minnesota H.B.P.A. Distaff and parlayed that advantage to register a head victory over defending champion Beach Flower. She raced a mile in 1:35.63, just outlasting the hard-charging runner-up, who did not secure running room on the inside until midstretch.

The only 3-year-old in a race otherwise filled with older mares, Molecules, a daughter of Einstein, was ridden by Leslie Mawing for trainer Thomas Foley and owner Morgan Thilo.

Some Say So ran third, followed by My Sister Madi in fourth.

Ibaka ($13.60) took more pressure on the lead in the $50,000 Brooks Fields than Molecules did in the Minnesota H.B.P.A. Distaff, and responded bravely to also win by a head. He was passed by eventual third-place finisher Hay Dakota in early stretch, battled to regain the advantage, and then had just enough to withstand a stretch charge by runner-up Majestic Pride, the 9-5 public choice.
A 7-year-old Uncle Abbie gelding trained by Francisco Bravo for owner/breeder Doug Wall, he completed a mile in 1:35.27. Canterbury leading rider Ry Eikleberry was aboard.