Please Flatter Me fires bullet for Busher Invitational

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – At Pimlico on Sunday, the undefeated Please Flatter Me worked a half-mile in 47.80 seconds, the fastest of 21 breezes at the distance. Please Flatter Me is preparing for Saturday’s $250,000 Busher Invitational Stakes at Aqueduct.

“She did that in an open gallop,” trainer Mark Reid said. “I had [regular jockey] Alex Cintron on her, and he said, “Mark, I never asked her at any point.’ He said, ‘I thought she went in 49,’ which is always a good sign.”

Reid said he moved the breeze up from Monday to Sunday to avoid inclement weather.

Please Flatter Me is 3 for 3, having won twice at Penn National and the Gin Talking Stakes at Laurel by 5 3/4 lengths on Dec. 29. After briefly being considered for the Ruthless Stakes here on Jan. 27, Please Flatter Me was held out of that race to await the Busher, run at one mile.

“The owners were more interested in this one,” said Reid, who trains Please Flatter Me for Madaket Stables and the Heider Family Stable. “She missed a few days of training prior to that because of the weather. She keeps herself fit. We thought, ‘Let’s go on to what we’re trying to accomplish,’ which is get her stretched out.”

The Ruthless was won by Ujjayi, whose only two losses came to Please Flatter Me. Ujjayi is expected to run in the Busher, as are Espresso Shot, Filly Joel, It Justhitthe Wire, Oxy Lady, and Shelley Ann.