Decision to skip Derby pays off for Rushie in Pat Day Mile

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A victory in an undercard stakes on Kentucky Derby Day beats a “what if” regarding the big race itself, as far as trainer Michael McCarthy is concerned.

“We’re pretty happy with what happened this afternoon,” McCarthy said after his latest stable star, Rushie, surged to victory Saturday in the Grade 2, $500,000 Pat Day Mile on the Derby Day program at Churchill Downs. “Part of me wanted to go in the Derby. You get very few opportunities like that, but I didn’t feel like the colt was battle-tested enough.”

Rushie, a gray Liam’s Map colt owned by Jim and Donna Daniell of Arcadia, Calif., had finished a respectable third in back-to-back Derby preps, the Santa Anita Derby and Blue Grass, before the decision was made Aug. 30 to forgo an attempt at the Derby, in which he would have been big odds.

Breaking cleanly from his outside post in a field of seven 3-year-olds, Rushie closely attended the pace before inching closer without urging from Javier Castellano midway through the turn of the Pat Day Mile, a one-turn mile run over a fast main track.

After straightening for home, Rushie sped away, winning by 1 3/4 lengths over 25-1 shot Sonneman in 1:34.41. He paid $7.80 as second choice.

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It was another half-length back in third to Tap It to Win, who had contested the lead from the outset, with Shashashakemeup rallying along the rail to nab fourth, another 1 1/4 lengths back. Rounding out the order were Echo Town, Vertical Threat, and Digital. Echo Town, the 2-1 favorite off a victory in the Grade 1 Allen Jerkens, never was a serious threat.

The race lost two would-be contenders with the early scratches of Cezanne and No Parole.

McCarthy said he’ll wait a while to make a decision on a next start for Rushie, who will be returned to McCarthy’s stable in California.

“We’re going to go ahead and savor this one,” McCarthy said. “We’ve got plenty of options now and a horse with a bright future, so that’s all I care about for the moment.”

The $2 exacta (9-8) paid $146, the $1 trifecta (9-8-6) returned $288.50, and the 10-cent superfecta (9-8-6-3) was worth $167.86.