Oaks News

LEXINGTON, Ky. (April 8, 2006) - Bushfire and jockey Cornelio Velasquez stole the recipe for winning the prestigious Gr. I Ashland Saturday, going straight to the front from the one post and taking advantage of the often present speed bias at Keeneland Racecourse to post a front-running victory in the $500,000 mile-and-a-sixteenth event for 3-year-old fillies.

The speedy Bushfire had only one option from her rail post at the outset, and that was to gun for the early advantage. She did just that and opened up a quick and comfortable lead over a stalking Sweet Sugaree into the first turn and down the backstretch, with Wait a While just to that filly's inside down on the rail. After a quick half-mile in 46.59, it appeared as though Bushfire may have been setting an ambitious agenda, but the daughter of Louis Quatorze sling shot off the far turn and opened up a clear advantage over Wait a While, who was all out to keep up.

Early Kentucky Oaks favorite Balance rallied past a tiring Sweet Sugaree into third as they straightened for home, but the outcome had been all but decided, as Bushfire streaked to the wire to win going away by 6 1/2-lengths, stopping the clock in 1:45.16 on a track that was upgraded to fast after starting the program as good due to hard overnight rains.

"I wanted to go to the lead easy," said Velasquez. "Nobody wanted to go so my filly went."

Trained by Eddie Kenneally, Bushfire was coming off a solid victory in the Florida Oaks last time out at Tampa Bay Downs, yet she was dismissed in the wagering in the Ashland, going off at better than 15-1 and returning $32.20 for the win.

"Well, we knew she'd like Keeneland," said a happy Kenneally in the winner's circle. "Traditionally it's a speed favoring track, and I knew she'd like it. We didn't know if we were good enough to beat Balance, but as it turns out our filly's improving and she ran a huge race today."

Wait a While and jockey John Velazquez enjoyed a nice, ground-saving stalking trip behind Bushfire, but didn't have enough to catch the winner in the stretch run, finishing a clear second, 4 1/2-lengths clear of Balance, who held off a rallying Itty Bitty Pretty for third.

"She ran very well," said Velazquez of runner-up Wait a While. "I tried to get her in position going into the first turn. I sat right behind the leader (Bushfire), and tried to catch her at the half-mile pole. But, the other filly (Bushfire) was just a little better than our filly today."

Shipping in from California as the filly to beat fresh off of a pair of Grade I wins at Santa Anita, Balance, the 1-2 favorite in the Ashland, lagged some five lengths off the early pace and was never seriously in contention. The daughter of Thunder Gulch improved her position slightly on the far turn, but she couldn't make up any ground on the two leaders over a Keeneland course that typically presents a disadvantage to closers.

"He (jockey Victor Espinoza) said she could never really get hold of the track," said David Hofmans, who campaigns Balance for Amerman Racing. "It was too deep for her. When he tried to ask her to run she bobbed a little. She was just good enough today to hold on for third. We'll take her back to California on Monday and regroup."

Bushfire will head to the Kentucky Oaks as one of the favorites in the 132nd Run for the Lilies next month at Churchill Downs off of her smashing victory, and she'll try to break the streak of 3-year-old fillies that won the prestigious Ashland and failed to capture the Oaks in their next start.

Take Charge Lady, Elloluv, Madcap Escapade, and Sis City were the last four fillies to capture the Ashland in front-running fashion, and all four failed to take the Oaks as the favorite or second choice in the mile-and-an-eighth event on the first Friday in May.

"We're going to give it a shot," said Kenneally, referring to running in the May 5th Oaks. "If she's doing very well, and if everything's okay we're going to go ahead and run her in there."

Bushfire earned $310,000 in capturing her first Grade I win, which boosted her career earnings to $475,740 for owner Homewrecker Stable LLC.

« Back To Oaks News

Oaks Information