Aqueduct: How to bet the Busanda Stakes

A total of six three-year-old fillies will travel 1 1/8 miles on the Aqueduct dirt surface in Sunday’s $150,000 Busanda S. The 2022 Road to the Kentucky Oaks endeavor will reward the top four finishers with qualifying points on a 10-4-2-1 structure.

The Bill Mott-trained #6 Rosebug graduated in style on the surface over a sloppy oval most recently going seven furlongs, and the daughter of American Pharoah will thrive with the added distance in her first two-turn try on the main strip. Bred in the Bluegrass State, the Mike Rutherford homebred rallied to finish fourth following a poor break in her debut in a sprint at Saratoga, and she then raced on the green in a pair of subsequent races, which preceded her initial tally last time out.

Rosebug is cut out to be a natural route performer, and her recent performance indicated to me that she will be ready to roll at the nine-furlong voyage on Sunday. The dark bay filly drew outside of the compact field to ensure a clear trip throughout, and she figures to be stalking a fairly lively early tempo to the top of the lane, as well. She boasts the top last-out Brisnet Speed figure in the field (86), too. Manny Franco inherits the ride.

Morning-line choice #1 Magic Circle (6-5) is the class of the field and the one to beat for Rudy Rodriguez. The $110,000 juvenile buy has followed up her fine debut score at the Spa in the summer with a trio of solid efforts, including a sharp second in the Tempted S. and a close third in the recent Demoiselle S. (G2) on this surface.

Magic Circle possesses ample gate speed but will likely track the pace from second or third early on from her rail post, and if she fires her best shot, then the daughter of Kantharos will be a formidable foe in the stretch. The Kentucky-bred chestnut gets a rider change to Jose Ortiz for this assignment, which adds to her appeal.

Busanda Wagers

• $30 win #6 Rosebug ($30)
• $20 exacta 6 with 1 ($20)