Lake Avenue, Maedean start drive to Oaks in Busher

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – While there’s a good chance Saturday’s Grade 3 Gotham Stakes will not produce a legitimate Kentucky Derby contender, its female counterpart, the $250,000 Busher Invitational, has two potential prospects for the Kentucky Oaks on May 1 at Churchill Downs.

Lake Avenue and Maedean, the 1-2 finishers in last year’s Grade 2 Demoiselle Stakes here, both kick off their 3-year-old campaigns in the Busher, a one-mile race that goes as race 9 on Saturday’s 10-race Aqueduct program.

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The winner of the Busher earns 50 qualifying points to the Oaks, virtually guaranteeing a spot in the 1 1/8-mile race whose purse has been bumped to $1.25 million this year. Lake Avenue has 10 points by virtue of her Demoiselle victory. Maedean has four points for her Demoiselle runner-up finish.

Lake Avenue, a daughter of Tapit trained by Bill Mott for Godolphin Stable, went gate to wire in both a seven-furlong maiden win at Belmont in November and the Demoiselle. Lake Avenue broke from post 10 in the Demoiselle and was sent to the front by Junior Alvarado.

“She fell out on the lead in the Demoiselle and took it right to them, but it’s not necessary that she be in front,” Mott said Thursday.

Lake Avenue has been based at Payson Park since right after the Demoiselle. Mott said she was never totally out of training and he’s liked the progress she’s made in her training.

“I think her last couple of works have been very, very good,” Mott said.

Alvarado rides Lake Avenue from post 5.

Maedean, trained by Mark Hennig, won 2 of 4 starts last year, including the Tempted Stakes going a one-turn mile at Aqueduct. She closed well over a speed-favoring surface to get second in the Demoiselle.

Maedean has been based at Gulfstream Park and missed one work early in February due to a temperature. Hennig had considered running her in last week’s Davona Dale at Gulfstream but felt like she needed one more breeze. Moreover, he was concerned that Maedean’s off-the-pace style would be compromised at Gulfstream. Tonalist’s Shape won the Davona Dale in gate-to-wire fashion.

Hennig said he is using the Busher to “get to the next step” along the Kentucky Oaks trail with Maedean.

“I don’t think she’s extremely cranked for this, but I think she’s adequately fit for it,” Hennig said. “We’ll hopefully run well and be able to move forward. As long as we hit the board and get points, I’ll feel good about where we’re at going forward.”

Luis Saez rides Maedean from post 4.

Mo City ship up from Tampa where she won a maiden race going six furlongs and then finished a second with a wide trip in the Gasparilla Stakes going seven furlongs on Jan. 18. She breaks from the rail under Manny Franco.

Water White was second to Harvey’s Lil Goil in the Busanda Stakes going 1 1/8 miles last out. She won a maiden race at Aqueduct after finishing second to Maedean going a mile at Belmont.

Completing the field are Panthera Onca, second after dueling on the lead in the six-furlong Ruthless, Kansas Kis, Persisto, and Inveterate.