Yorkiepoo Princess goes the distance in Busher

Feb 25, 2017 Kellie Reilly/Brisnet.com

Danny Chen’s bargain buy Yorkiepoo Princess has been dominant of late at Aqueduct, but not until Saturday’s $150,000 Busher S. did she have the chance to compete for Kentucky Oaks (G1) points. The $8,000 two-year-old in training purchase continued her winning streak here, banking 50 points to put herself on the Oaks trail.

Sent off as the 9-5 favorite after convincing scores in a pair of six-furlong stakes, the November 24 Furlough and January 14 Ruthless, Yorkiepoo Princess had no problem stretching out to 1 1/16 miles in the Busher. Jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. rated her off the pace before steadily advancing on the inside through the thick fog. Angling out for the homestretch, Yorkiepoo Princess rallied to defeat Full House by 1 3/4 lengths. The Ed Barker trainee stopped the clock on the fast inner track in 1:47.69.

Full House, who stalked in second early and briefly took over at the head of the lane, was a clear second by 3 1/4 lengths. The stakes debutante, coming off a 13-length maiden win, earned 20 points toward the Oaks.

Pacesetter Tiz Rae Anna, a distant second to Yorkiepoo Princess in the Ruthless, was well adrift in third on Saturday. She opened her Oaks points account with 10, and No Sweat closed from last to grab fourth – and 5 points, upping her total to 7.

Yorkiepoo Princess has now bankrolled $244,811 from her 7-4-0-0 line. Bred by Francis and Barbara Vanlangendonck in Florida, the daughter of Kantharos sold for $65,000 as an OBS August yearling. But at the following spring’s OBS April Sale, she didn’t attract much interest, and Chen took her home for only $8,000. Now she’s a Cinderella story.

 Photo courtesy NYRA/Coglianese Photography/Joe Labozzetta