Sahin Civaci Rides Running Away to Big New York Win

Stud TNT’s Kentucky homebred Running Away did just that in the stretch to make a successful stakes debut in Saturday’s $125,000 Busanda at Aqueduct Racetrack.

The nine-furlong test for sophomore fillies awarded the top-five finishers with 20-10-6-4-2 qualifying points towards the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks. Running Away’s second dam is 2005 Kentucky Oaks winner Summerly.

Woodbine’s leading rider Sahin Civaci piloted the Wesley Ward-trained filly by Gun Runner to the front-running victory, the biggest for the Canadian-born rider since he came to Aqueduct just after Christmas.

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Ward said Running Away’s speed was useful over a track that frontrunners relished throughout the afternoon.

“We had a plan going in with this filly. She’s very quick in the mornings for being a big filly, and we were going to just take it really easy in the warmup and keep her nice and relaxed,” Ward explained. “Our plan was to have the jock come away from there holding first jump, and I changed my tactics after watching the races there all day. I told the jock, ‘look, everything I told you, just throw it out and ride her however you want. You know the track as good as anybody there today, so whatever you think best that’s what we’re going to do!’”

Civaci and Running Away were quickly on the lead heading in to the first turn of the Busanda, named for the dam of the great Buckpasser.

Sharp Smile held the rail position to track in second through the first turn, but was met with pressure from My Sherrona as the field made its way onto the backstretch and the Kendrick Carmouche-piloted Ruth was coaxed along from last after a stumble at the start. Civaci remained collected aboard Running Away as she reached the half-mile in 48.50 and three-quarters in 1:13.54 before Romero Maragh called upon My Sherrona to her outside and Manny Franco got to work atop Sharp Smile, who stumbled at the start.

Civaci shook the reins exiting the turn and Running Away maintained her advantage over the driving My Sherrona to her outside, keeping to task with a few right-handed taps of the crop as Sharp Smile gave chase in vain on the inside and Ramify put in a belated run. Running Away was never threatened in the final sixteenth and kept on strongly to cross the wire 2 1/4 lengths in front in a final time of 1:52.23. Running Away earned a 78 Beyer Speed Figure.

My Sherrona demonstrated her knack for finishing second for the third time in three lifetime outings, picking up place honors by one length over Sharp Smile. Ramify, Beautiful Blome and the hard-luck Ruth completed the order of finish.

Ward said he was confident in Running Away throughout the latter stages.

“As soon as we fell into the turn and we had the lead and I saw her prick her ears, I knew that we were in really good shape,” Ward said. “The weather here in Kentucky has been compromised to train a route horse like this. It’s been a while since her last start and she wasn’t cranked as much as I’d like, but her ability got her there as well as the track played in our favor.”

The win marked the seventh this week at the Big A for Civaci, who also teamed up with Ward to win a state-bred optional claiming tilt aboard Whatchatalkinabout on Thursday. The top Woodbine-based jockey, who moved his tack to New York in late December, said Running Away was professional in victory.

“I had instructions from Wesley Ward to take the lead and looking at the form I saw the one [Sharp Smile] had speed, the seven [My Sherrona] had a little bit of speed, if they were going to send hard, I would have sat off of them, but luckily the one stumbled a little bit and I managed to get the lead,” Civaci said. “Just took care of it with easy fractions and she is a nice horse, she kicked on well.

“Coming into this New York meet, I had a lot of support,” Civaci added of his Empire State endeavors. “I rode for some good owners and trainers up in Canada, it carries forward to being here. It is a little different surface here, dirt, you get a lot of kickback here compared to the Tapeta. I managed to get used to that now, and just settling into New York generally, those were the only challenges pretty much.”

Ward said Running Away is likely to target the 1 1/16-mile Grade 1 Ashland on April 4 at Keeneland rather than the nine-furlong Grade 3, $200,000 Gazelle on April 5 at the Big A. Both events offer 100-50-25-15-10 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points to the top-five finishers.

Running Away became the fifth black type runner out of the Brazilian Group 3-placed Unbridled’s Song mare Allez Marie, who also produced stakes-winners Legalize and Workaholic, Grade 3-placed sire Tomato Bill, and dual stakes-placed Fouette. Her second dam is 2005 Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks-winner Summerly. Running Away banked $68,750 in victory while returning $5.10 on a $2 win wager.