Condo Commando Dashes to Busher Victory
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As snowflakes began to fall at Aqueduct Racetrack Feb. 21, heavily favored Condo Commando opened her 3-year-old campaign with an impressive front-running victory in the $100,000 Busher Stakes .
The victory was the second straight for Condo Commando following a win in the Nov. 29 Demoiselle Stakes (gr. II), establishing her status as one of New York's leading contenders for the May 1 Longines Kentucky Oaks (gr. I). She races for Michael Dubb, Bethlehem Stables, and the Elkstone Group.
After taking a misstep in her second stride out of the gate, Condo Commando was kept to task by jockey Junior Alvarado and was rushed to the front of the field of six, where she set early fractions of :24.54 for the first quarter and :48.78 for the half.
As the field turned for home, Paulassilverlining made a bold move to come within striking range of Condo Commando in the upper stretch, but the Tiz Wonderful filly extended her lead in the final yards to win by 4 3/4 lengths, completing the 1 1/16 miles in 1:46.52 on a fast dirt track.
"She broke good the first jump, but the second stride out the gate, it felt to me she got stuck a little bit," Alvarado said. "I showed her the whip to put her in the game. She was much the best. By the middle of the first turn, she was settled and I had control. After that, it was just about making sure you didn't fall (off). At the end, she was pretty much playing and she galloped out very nice."
Condo Commander returned $2.40, $2.10 and $2.10, while Paulassilverlining paid $2.90 and $2.50, with Sweet On Smokey bringing $4.30 to show. Hold Me Down, Overprepared, and Liberty Island completed the order of finish.
The winner was a $72,000 purchase from the 2013 Keeneland September sale when consigned by Bedouin Bloodstock, agent for Spendthrift Farm, and selected by Kim Valerio for Dubb. She improved her career record to four wins in five starts while boosting her earnings to $568,600.
"She didn't break that clean, but I thought she was a little better than these fillies and she did it very impressively," trainer Rudy Rodriguez said. "She's been very special to us and hopefully she continues to impress us. I'm going to talk with the owners and discuss the next plans for her and hopefully she'll continue to do a little better."
Condo Commando was bred in Kentucky by Spendthrift out of theGeneral Meeting mare Yearly Report.