Monmouth: Rush Now uses speed to dust foes in Spend a Buck

Nobody went with Rush Now coming out of the gate and nobody was able to cut into his lead in the stretch as the 3-year-old colt cruised to a 4 1/4-length victory in Sunday’s $75,000 Spend a Buck Stakes at Monmouth Park.

Ridden for the first time by Joe Bravo, Rush Now ($4) was able to cross over and clear from the far outside in post 6 to gain the rail entering the first turn of the mile-and-70-yard race. Rush Now maintained a two-length lead while setting fractions of 47.51 seconds and 1:11.23, then drew off in the stretch while completing the distance on a fast track in 1:40.67.

“He’s a nice 3-year-old,” Bravo said. “We were really helped out today by the lack of speed in the race. He just galloped around there. The hardest part of the race was pulling him up.”

Uncle Otto, the second longest shot on the board at 18-1, chased in second throughout and held that position. Malibu Glow, the 2-1 second choice, stumbled at the start, then rallied from far back to get third, 3 1/4 lengths behind the runner-up.

It was the second stakes victory for Rush Now, a son of Tiznow trained by Tony Dutrow for owner David Cottle and Smart Angle LLP, but his first since taking the Blue Hen at Delaware Park last October. The horse is now 4 for 9 lifetime.