Running Away wires Busanda; Simply Joking means business in Silverbulletday

Jan 18, 2025 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

Stud TNT’s homebred Running Away, a granddaughter of 2005 Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Summerly, ran herself into the Oaks picture in her stakes debut in Saturday’s $125,000 Busanda S. at Aqueduct.

Later at Fair Grounds, unbeaten Simply Joking likewise opened her Oaks account with a dominant performance in the $145,500 Silverbulletday S.

Both fillies went off as the favorites, won in front-running fashion, and banked 20 points to rank prominently on the leaderboard.

Busanda S.

The 1.55-1 Busanda favorite Running Away sped straight to the lead and never looked back. Trained by Wesley Ward and ridden by Sahin Civaci, the chestnut evoked memories of her Hall of Fame sire, Gun Runner, by carrying her tactical speed effectively over a route of ground.

Running Away was coming off a front-running romp in a 1 1/16-mile maiden on the Nov. 30 “Stars of Tomorrow II” card at Churchill Downs. She had also set the pace in her first two starts on turf at Saratoga and Keeneland, respectively. In both, she was just run down late and relegated to minor awards. But her game has proven to be more effective on the main track, and she’s now 2-for-2 on dirt.

Running Away earns 20 points on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks! 🌸 pic.twitter.com/OmhbMISXde

— Kentucky Derby (@KentuckyDerby) January 18, 2025

Despite breaking from the outside post, Running Away had the gears to clear the field through an opening quarter in :23.83. Sharp Smile, who was expected to flash speed on the rail, didn’t break cleanly and ended up not trying to force the issue. Breaking far worse, though, was Ruth, who stumbled so badly that she lost any realistic chance.

Running Away reeled off fractions of :48.50 and 1:13.54, repelled a bid from the tracking My Sherrona, and pulled away to a 2 1/4-length decision. By negotiating 1 1/8 miles in 1:52.23, she advanced her record to 4-2-1-1, $166,875.

The maiden My Sherrona, second at every call, earned 10 Oaks points. Sharp Smile likewise raced in third throughout, good for six points. Considering that the top three maintained their positions for the duration, it was tough for closers to land a blow. Ramify checked in a distant fourth (four points), Beautiful Blome was a non-threatening fifth (two points), and Ruth trailed. Bless the Broken (who ran in the Silverbulletday instead), Carmen’s Candy Jar, and Bernieandtherose were scratched.

Kentucky-bred Running Away is out of Brazilian Group 3-placed Allez Marie, whose parents are Unbrided’s Song and Summerly. Allez Marie is also responsible for stakes scorers Workaholic and Legalize as well as Grade 3-placed Tomato Bill.

Silverbulletday S.

Trainer Whit Beckman has such a high opinion of Simply Joking that he unveiled her in a stakes event, not even bothering with an ordinary maiden race. The Practical Joke filly validated his judgment by winning the Dec. 21 Letellier Memorial S. at Fair Grounds despite making a couple of rookie mistakes.

Stretching out to two turns for the Silverbulletday, Simply Joking showed that she learned plenty from her debut. The 1.70-1 favorite was sharper from the gate, enabling her to take charge early with jockey Jaime Torres. Stablemate Drexel Hill prompted Simply Joking through splits of :23.70, :47.53, and 1:12.84 on the sloppy track, but she could not stay with her.

Simply Joking splashed clear turning for home and opened up. Her only signs of inexperience came in deep stretch as she changed her leads back and forth and altered course a bit. But by that point, the race was effectively over, and she still held a 2 1/2-length advantage while finishing the mile and 70 yards in 1:44.30.

Simply Joking was all business in the Silverbulletday at @fairgroundsnola for trainer Whit Beckman with @jaimetorresjcky aboard! 🏆

🎥 TwinSpiresReplay pic.twitter.com/ezv59GadvJ

— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) January 18, 2025

Bless the Broken rallied from last to snatch second by a neck from Drexel Hill, picking up 10 points. Drexel Hill’s third-place effort added six points to her ledger for an overall total of seven.

Chasten, the well-fancied half-sister to champion Idiomatic, failed to fire from her stalking spot and wound up retreating to fourth (four points). Golden Gamble also didn’t find as much as expected in fifth, receiving two points to increase her tally to seven. She’s a Swede concluded the order under the wire after the scratches of California Sunset and Gowells Delight.

Simply Joking has now bankrolled $153,000 for owners Grantley Acres, Ryan Conner, and Berkels0813. The $65,000 Keeneland September yearling was bred by Barlar in Pennsylvania.

Simply Joking’s older half-brother, Drum Roll Please, was on the Kentucky Derby trail for a time when placing third in the 2023 Remsen (G2) and winning the 2024 Jerome S. They are both out of the multiple Pennsylvania-bred stakes victress Imply, a mare by E Dubai, from the further family of Hall of Famer Holy Bull.