Jody's Pride ships north for easier spot in Busher

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Jody’s Pride, runner-up to Just F Y I in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies last November, will make her 3-year-old debut in the $200,000 Busher Stakes in March at Aqueduct, her connections confirmed.

Jody’s Pride, trained by Jorge Abreu, was in Florida with the idea of returning in the Grade 2, $200,000 Davona Dale at Gulfstream Park on the same day as the Busher. Her connections called an audible, however, and shipped her to New York last Monday. She was scheduled to have a workout over the weekend at Belmont Park.

Steve Weston, the co-owner and breeder of Jody’s Pride, said the Busher was chosen because it is viewed as the easier race to get enough qualifying points for the May 3 Kentucky Oaks. Just F Y I, last year’s champion 2-year-old filly, is expected to run in the Davona Dale.

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“We feel we can get our points easier in New York than we can in the Davona Dale,” Weston said Friday.

Both the Davona Dale and the Busher, run as one-turn miles, offer 105 qualifying points toward the Oaks with 50 points going to the winner. Jody’s Pride earned 15 points for her runner-up finish in the Juvenile Fillies where she was beaten a neck.

Flavien Prat rode Jody’s Pride in all three of her starts last year, including off-the-turf victories in a maiden race and the Matron Stakes, both one-turn races. Prat has commitments in Southern California on March 2 so Jose Lezcano will ride Jody’s Pride.

Among those expected for the Busher are Aoife’s Magic, Carmelina, Gin Gin, Princess Mayfair, Regulatory Risk, Sicilian Princess, and possibly Legadema.

Weston said if Jody’s Pride wins the Busher, or earns enough points where he believes she would get into the Oaks, then a decision will be made on whether to run her again before the Oaks or perhaps take a swing in a race like the Grade 1, $600,000 Ashland at Keeneland on April 5.

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