BY BROCK SHERIDAN
After a disappointing debut on turf last out in the Sensible Lady at Laurel Park, Florida-bred Ms. Bucchero returns to the main track for the $100,000 Willa On the Move, a six-and-a-half-furlong contest for fillies and mares, 3-years-old and older, at Laurel Park Saturday.
Ms. Bucchero was a strong, two-length winner of a six-furlong allowance race at Laurel Park in June then graduated into the $100,000 Alma North there on July 28. After leading during the first three points of call and taking a three-and-a-half-length advantage in the stretch in the Alma North, Ms. Bucchero conceded to a fast-closing Apple Picker and finished second.
Trainer Diane Morici next tried her on turf in the $100,000 Sensible Lady going six furlongs at Laurel on Sept. 14, but she never found her rhythm and came in ninth, finishing out of the top two for the first time in four starts this year.
Owned by Morici Racing Stable LLC, Ms. Bucchero has been a model of consistency throughout her career with six wins in 13 starts with three seconds and earnings of $204,950.
Ms. Bucchero is a graduate of the 2022 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Spring Sale but did not meet her reserve from the Nice and Easy Thoroughbreds consignment.
Bred in Florida by Pamela Edel, Ms. Bucchero is by Bucchero out of Give Glory to God, by Mutakddim.
Xavier Perez will ride Ms. Bucchero for the first time and they have the outside post in the six-horse field.
Bourbon Bon Bay looks to build on her last race when fifth in the $101,000 Maryland Millions Distaff won by Foxy Junior going seven furlongs at Laurel on Oct. 12. That was her first start since August of last year when she suffered the first loss of her career in a six-and-a-half-furlong allowance won by Willa On the Move rival Olivia Darling at Laurel.
Trained by Edward Allard for Eric Hlubik, Bourbon Bon Bay won her first five career starts, including the 2022 Cornucopia at Parx, over a three-year span beginning with a nearly 10-length maiden score at Parx in November of 2021.
A 7-year-old daughter of Bourbon Courage, Bourbon Bon Bay has won five of seven lifetime races with one second while banking $171,000.
Jaime Torres will ride Bourbon Bon Bay from post three.
Simply Stated comes into Saturday’s race after winning a second condition, $40,000 optional claiming taken off the turf and run over a sloppy five-and-a-half furlongs on Sept. 29.
The Brittany Russell-trained daughter of Warrior’s Reward tries for her second career stakes victory after winning the $50,000 Penn Ladies Dash against state-bred fillies and mares at Penn National in August of last year.
Simply Stated has won half of her 12 career starts with a second and a third while banking $182,671.
She will be ridden from post five and jockey Sheldon Russell will don the colors of owner Commonweath New Era Racing.
Rounding out the field are Olivia Darling, with no rider named at press time; Mattitude and jockey J.G. Torrealba and Keimar Trotman will be aboard Pudd’n N Pie.
