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Buster's Ready scores in Mother Goose
"We like nice surprises. She ran huge," Velazquez said. "I didn't think I was going to be on the lead, that's for sure. We were planning that I was going to be second or third. But she was doing it so comfortably. She was running the last part!" Joyful Victory just got the best of R Gypsy Gold by a neck on the wire, with Salty Strike fading to fourth another three lengths back. My Assets (Bernardini) rounded out the field after Victoria's Wildcat (Bellamy Road) was scratched. Buster's Ready was bred in Virginia by Edward P. Evans and races for the Estate of her late owner. She began her racing career on the turf in New York, but it wasn't until she ran in an off-the-turf maiden claimer at Aqueduct last November that the filly broke through with a first win. The bay finished second in her sophomore debut in late January before dominating an allowance field by 10 3/4 lengths just 21 days later. Buster's Ready ran third in her stakes bow, the Out Ruled S., in March, and stepped up last out to be a game second in the Black-Eyed Susan S. (G2) at Pimlico. With this first black-type win, her scorecard reads 9-4-2-1, $290,084. "She's been steadily improving all winter and spring and she's a filly we always felt wanted more distance," Pletcher said. "Her last race was sort of a breakthrough race for her and she's kind of finding her rhythm now. She's putting it all together and (it's helped) being able to steadily get some route races. We'll see how she comes out of it; I think the next logical step is the (July 23) Coaching Club (American Oaks [G1] at Saratoga)." Buster's Ready is out of the unraced Honour and Glory mare Beatem Buster, who is a half-sister to 2005 Horse of the Year and champion older horse Saint Liam (Saint Ballado). The Breeders' Cup Classic-winning stallion, also bred by Evans, only stood one year at stud before suffering a life-ending injury. Beatem Buster is also a half-sibling to Grade 3 scorer Congressional Honor (Forestry) as well as stakes winners Quiet Giant (Giant's Causeway) and Dance Quietly (A.P. Indy). Listed-placed Flight Dancer (Misty Flight) is the fourth dam of Buster's Ready. In the breeding shed she produced the likes of Irish champion and multiple Group 1 heroine Minstrella (The Minstrel), and Grade 2 scorer Misty Gallore (Halo). Minstrella is herself the dam of Grade 2 victress Colonial Minstrel (Pleasant Colony), Grade 3 vixen Minidar (Alydar) and Grade 3-placed stakes winner Unrestrained (Unbridled). This is also the same family of Grade 2 hero and recent Pegasus S. (G3) conqueror Pants on Fire (Jump Start) and, farther back, champion producer Gallorette (*Challenger II).
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