Dance Queen filling big shoes for Bush

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer Tom Bush lost a talented 3-year-old turf filly when Grade 3 Florida Oaks winner Fifty Five was sold privately and transferred to trainer Chad Brown.

He may have found a replacement in Dance Queen, who made it 2 for 2 with a hard-fought nose victory in a first-level allowance at Aqueduct last Thursday.

She had a much smoother trip in the race than she had in getting to New York for the race.

Based in Florida for the winter, Dance Queen was sent to Keeneland for an allowance but was excluded when the race drew 17 entrants. Bush wasn’t sure the allowance at Aqueduct would fill, and when the racing office opted to use it with five horses, he put the filly on a van and shipped her to Aqueduct just a few days before the race.

“She took a circuitous route to get there,” Bush said.

In her race, Dance Queen raced on the lead the entire way and turned back a prolonged challenge from Lucky Long, who looked poised to go on by in the stretch.

Bush would like to run Dance Queen in New York, but he’s not thrilled with cutting her back to seven furlongs in the Soaring Softly at Belmont on May 20. The $100,000 Hilltop going a mile on May 19 at Pimlico may be a better alternative.

“My long-term goal is to step up and win a stakes with her,” Bush said. “I don’t know where that is.”