Pushiness possible for step up into graded company

Unbeaten in two starts, the 2-year-old filly Pushiness may have her first start in a graded stakes as soon as early September after winning her stakes debut in the CTBA Stakes at Del Mar last Sunday.

Owner Mike Repole and trainer Michael McCarthy have two options for Pushiness before the current Del Mar summer season ends Sept. 10 – the $125,000 Generous Portion Stakes for statebred fillies at six furlongs on Sept. 4, or the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante at seven furlongs on Sept. 9.

The $300,000 Del Mar Debutante is the lone Grade 1 race for 2-year-old fillies in California prior to the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, which will be run at Santa Anita on Nov. 3.

“We could see where she stacks up,” McCarthy said of a potential start in the Debutante.

Pushiness was nominated to the Del Mar Debutante in June.

In the CTBA Stakes for statebred fillies, Pushiness took the lead a few strides from the gate, and won the race at 5 1/2 furlongs by 1 3/4 lengths under jockey Umberto Rispoli as the 3-5 favorite in a field of seven.

“I thought it was very professional, a little bit of a carbon copy of her first race,” McCarthy said.

“She put herself in the race very quickly. I thought it was very impressive the way she looked down the lane.

“The goal all along was to win that stakes.”

Pushiness won her debut in a maiden race for statebred fillies at five furlongs by 6 1/4 lengths at Santa Anita on June 9.

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