Photo: West Point Thoroughbreds
When Mike Hushion first got
Mine Over Matter late last year, the son of Mineshaft had spent much
of 2011 competing in races 1 1/16 miles or longer. Shortened up by
Hushion, the 5-year-old showed a new dimension as a come-from-behind
sprinter, and on Saturday, Mine Over Matter notched
his second stakes win of the year when he rallied from mid-pack to win
the six-furlong
Hudson.
“The first couple of
races I had him, as a come-from-behind sprinter, he showed that might be
just what he could do,” said Hushion of Chester and Mary Broman’s
homebred, who earned a career-best 97 Beyer Speed
Figure for the victory. “His only bad race was when the rider decided
to send him. Now, I see no reason to change him.”
With that in mind, the
trainer said that Mine Over Matter, now 2-1-2 from seven starts this
year, will continue to do what he’s been doing when racing moves to
Aqueduct Racetrack next month.
“He’ll run in the New York-bred races,” he said. “Hopefully,
Saginaw will be somewhere else.”
Sunday morning, Hushion sent out Grade 1 Vosburgh winner
The Lumber Guy for his
second of three scheduled works for the Breeders’ Cup Sprint on November
3 at Santa Anita. The 3-year-old New York-bred son of Grand Slam
breezed four furlongs in 48.50 seconds, the 19th-fastest
of 106 works at the distance on Belmont’s training track.
“Since he ran so hard
last time, these three works are just maintenance works,” said Hushion
of Barry K. Schwartz’s homebred, who will be flown to
California
next Monday. “We’re not really trying to get anything accomplished
except to keep him from going backwards. We worked pretty heavy – heavy
for me anyway – going into the last race.
“He doesn’t need any
59s or 58s to get out there,” he added. “We know he’s capable, he
doesn’t have to prove anything. Just keep him happy and keep him in his
hayrack and feed tub.”
The Lumber Guy will be the third Breeders’ Cup starter for Hushion, who saddled Noteasybeingreen to finish 10th in the 1998 Juvenile and Nothing But Fun to finish seventh in the 2005 Distaff.
“There are so many nerves involved, I don’t think you ever get a chance to sit back and enjoy it,” he confessed.