Lake Avenue to make 3-year-old debut in Busher

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Lake Avenue, the dominant four-length winner of the Grade 2 Demoiselle on Dec. 7, will make her 3-year-old debut in the $250,000 Busher Invitational Stakes on March 7 at Aqueduct. She is expected to face Maedean, who finished second to Lake Avenue in the Demoiselle after dominating the Tempted Stakes.

Lake Avenue, a daughter of Tapit trained by Bill Mott for Godolphin Racing, preceded her Demoiselle victory with a 12 3/4-length maiden score against just three rivals in a seven-furlong race on Nov. 14 at Aqueduct.

“She’s 2 for 2 at Aqueduct,” said Leana Willaford, the Belmont Park-based assistant for Mott. “It’s a good spot to get started.”

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Earlier this meet, Mott won the Busanda Stakes with Harvey’s Lil Goil, who like Lake Avenue trained at Payson Park after winning a maiden race at Aqueduct.

Willaford said Lake Avenue is scheduled to fly from Florida to New York on Wednesday.

The Busher, run as a one-turn mile, offers 85 qualifying points for its top four finishers to the Kentucky Oaks on a 50-20-10-5 basis.

Others possible for the Busher include Glass Ceiling, Kansas Kis, Master of Hope, Panthera Onca, Persisto, and Water White.