The Busanda Stakes at Aqueduct Saturday carries $100,000 in prize cash and provides a complete of 42 Highway to the Kentucky Oaks factors, together with 20 to the winner.

Shimmering Attract leads the sphere based mostly on her runner-up effort within the Grade 2 Demoiselle Stakes final month. Gin Gin completed second within the Rags to Riches Stakes in October earlier than a disappointing fifth-place effort within the Grade 2 Golden Rod Stakes Nov. 25. Most of All was a formidable 10 ¼-length winner in October however might solely handle fourth within the Demoiselle. Princess Mayfair makes her first begin in a stakes and enters the Busanda off a runner-up effort in her first two-turn attempt final month. Class Act is the one horse within the discipline to have gained on the 1 1/8-mile distance of this race, having achieved simply that 5 weeks in the past on this observe when incomes her first win in her third profession begin.

High contenders:

Princess Mayfair could not have run in a stakes as have three of the opposite 4 Busanda entrants, however she’s run the quickest of any horse within the discipline, having earned an 88 Equibase Velocity Determine in her most up-to-date begin, which was additionally her first attempt round two turns. Bettering from a poor 55 determine in her debut in November, Princess Mayfair led from begin to end in a 5 ½-furlong dash in profession begin quantity two in December, incomes a 70 velocity determine. When despatched round two turns for the primary time on Dec. 16, going through winners for the primary time as nicely, the filly established a simple lead quickly after the beginning. Nonetheless main on the far flip, Princess Mayfair widened her lead by two lengths with an eighth of a mile to run. Though caught by the winner thereafter, Princess Mayfair was 5 lengths away from the subsequent horse. Not solely ought to she be extra bodily slot in her second route race, the sample of enchancment suggests Princess Mayfair can run even sooner and subsequently she would be the one to catch, and to beat, on this yr’s Busanda Stakes.

Shimmering Attract is the one to beat on paper as she is the one stakes winner within the discipline. That victory got here within the Tempted Stakes, a one-turn mile race at Aqueduct Nov. 5. Shimmering Attract rallied from seventh of eight within the Tempted to win by three lengths in visually spectacular vogue, incomes an 85 Equibase Velocity Determine. 4 weeks later she stepped up at school and stretched out to 1 1/8 miles for the Demoiselle Stakes, rallying from fifth to second into the stretch and holding that place to the end line behind Life Speak, who had led each step because the gates opened. Within the Demoiselle, Shimmering Attract earned an 84 velocity determine much like the Tempted and she or he could have run sooner if requested to, however because it appeared the winner couldn’t be caught her jockey saved some power for this, her subsequent begin. Though Shimmering Attract could have the category to succeed and is confirmed on the stage, there’s an opportunity, notably in a small discipline like this one, Princess Mayfair could also be alone on a simple lead the identical approach Life Speak was within the Demoiselle and that might pose an issue for Shimmering Attract. Then once more, she could show very powerful within the ultimate levels as she was when profitable the Tempted Stakes.

The remainder of the sphere (with greatest Equibase Velocity Determine): Class Act (81), Gin Gin (84), and Most of All (86).

Win contenders, in desire/chance order:

Princess Mayfair

Shimmering Attract