Drexel Hill Exits Busher in Good Order, Targets Oaks Qualifier Gazelle Next

[Wandering Eyes]

Legion Racing's Drexel Hill (Bolt d'Oro) overcame a stumble at the start to post a rallying score in Saturday's Listed Busher Invitational, a one-turn mile for sophomore fillies, at Aqueduct Racetrack.

In victory, the Whit Beckman trainee secured 50 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points, joining stablemates Simply Joking (Practical Joke)–campaigned by Grantley Acres, Ryan Conner and Berkels0813–and Grantley Acres' homebred Her Laugh (Practical Joke) as contenders for the 'Lilies for the Fillies' on the first Friday in May at Churchill Downs.

In Saturday's one-turn test, Drexel Hill was returning from a third-place finish in the one-mile and 70-yard Silverbulletday Stakes on Jan. 18 at Fair Grounds.

“It was a little bit of a gamble on the cutback, but we got it figured out and hopefully when we get her back around two turns it won't be so gut-wrenching,” Beckman said. “The first half-mile of the race didn't go the way we were hoping between the break and her lack of enthusiasm down the backside–it wasn't real comforting going to the turn, but it took a 180 on us and things went the right way from there.

The $50,000 Keeneland September Yearling Sale purchase launched her career at Woodbine with four starts over Tapeta for trainer Barbara Minshall, including a six-length graduation in November sprinting seven furlongs.

“Early on she wanted to pull to the inside just slightly and that kind of bit gives a little more control on the steering,” Beckman explained. “In her first start for us, she put herself in a bad spot and it was tough to get her off the rail.

“We made a couple equipment adjustments in the Silverbulletday to add blinkers and a different bit,” Beckman continued. “I thought we kind of overshot the mark, she got a little too keen in the Silverbulletday and put herself really close – closer than I anticipated. In her training between this race and the Silverbulletday we pulled the blinkers off, and she was working really well, super relaxed and doing everything comfortably on her own, so we didn't think the blinkers were going to be necessary in the Busher.”

Beckman confirmed that Drexel Hill exited the effort in good order and will ship back to Turfway Park Monday. According to Beckman, the nine-furlong GIII Gazelle on Apr. 5, a 100-50-25-15-10 Oaks qualifier, appears likely.

“We've got nine weeks to the Oaks and ideally, you'd like to give her another start,” Beckman said. “We'll see how she reacts when we get her back home. An extra eighth of a mile going around two turns should give her a little more time to work everything out.”

Beckman said that Simply Joking [20 points] will look to extend her record to 3-for-3 in either the GII Fantasy [100-50-25-15-10] on Mar. 29 at Oaklawn or the GI Central Bank Ashland [100-50-25-15-10] on Apr. 4 at Keeneland; while Her Laugh [20 points] will point to the GII Fair Grounds Oaks [100-50-25-15-10] on Mar. 22.

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