Magic Circle poised to get her stakes win in Busanda
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Magic Circle will look to build upon solid efforts in her last two stakes tries when she heads a field of six entered in Sunday’s $100,000 Busanda Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Aqueduct.
In November, Magic Circle finished second, beaten a half-length by Gerrymander, in the Tempted Stakes going a one-turn mile at Belmont. Four weeks later, Magic Circle was beaten one length when finishing third behind Nest and Venti Valentine in the Grade 2 Demoiselle at Aqueduct going the same 1 1/8-mile distance as the Busanda.
Had Magic Circle finished better than third, she might have been disqualified as she did come out inside the eighth pole and seemed to bother Venti Valentine. Trainer Rudy Rodriguez believes Magic Circle came out after being hit left-handed with jockey Manny Franco’s stick.
“She doesn’t like when you touch her too much,” Rodriguez said. “When Manny touched her and went left handed she kind of drift out. She did the same thing at Belmont in the Tempted. I talked to Manny and said don’t surprise her because she hesitates a little from whipping and touching. When you surprise her with a whip, she has a very quick reaction.”
Prior to those stakes tries, Magic Circle was a debut winner going seven furlongs at Saratoga and then finished fourth, 10 1/2 lengths behind winner Echo Zulu, in the Grade 1 Frizette at Saratoga.
Though Franco has ridden Magic Circle in each of her four starts, Jose Ortiz has been given the call Saturday.
Magic Circle breaks from the rail, a good post to get out of the gate and make the front, which is something Rodriguez believes Ortiz should try to do.
“She drew a good post, she’s got tactical speed, hopefully Jose can nurse her along and take it from there,” he said.
Ortiz took off Rosebug to ride Magic Circle, and Franco ends up on Rosebug, who breaks from post 6.
Rosebug, a daughter of American Pharoah, finished fourth sprinting on dirt at Saratoga in her debut before being switched to the turf. After running a good second in an Oct. 2 turf race, Rosebug finished a well-beaten sixth in her next start, also on turf.
Rosebug was switched back to the dirt on Dec. 30 and she was a smart-looking winner of a seven-furlong maiden race run over a sloppy track. She won while being taken in hand late by Ortiz.
Rosebug is trained by Bill Mott, a three-time winner of the Busanda, including in 2020 with Harvey’s Lil Goil. Mott also trained Rosebug’s mother, Tattinger, who finished fourth in the 2004 Busanda but ended her career in 2006 with a Grade 3 stakes victory going nine furlongs at Gulfstream Park.
In between Magic Circle and Rosebug are Waters of Merom, Morning Matcha, Gamestonks, and Reigning Chick.
Waters of Merom was claimed two back for $30,000 by Chad Brown and Louis Lazzinnaro. That same trainer-owner duo teamed to win last year’s Busanda with The Grass Is Blue.
The Busanda offers its top finishers qualifying points (10-4-2-1) toward the May 6 Kentucky Oaks at Churchill Downs.