Button Down Racing’s Sun Button Gets It Done

Sun Button, a three-year-old son of Full Mandate, broke his maiden on Wednesday, March 11 at Turfway Park, cruising home a length in front of his nearest rival, Trip North, in the six-and-a-half furlong, $30,000 maiden race.

Breaking from the inside post and wearing the colors of Button Down Racing, jockey Billy Troilo kept his mount engaged with first-time starter The Stig from the race’s early strides. That front-running duel lasted for nearly five furlongs before The Stig weakened and gave way. That left Sun Button only to fend off eventual place horse Trip North and second-choice Cold Feet in the stretch which he did handily, albeit nonchalantly.

Troilo intimated that his mount was “not bearing down in the stretch” and trainer William ‘Buff’ Bradley (who watched on TV from The Fairgrounds where he will start his Brass Hat in the Grade II Muniz Handicap on Saturday) said he could tell that Sun Button was less than focused on his way home. “He needs something to run at,” commented Bradley.

“Twenty-two and four (the official time of 1:22-4/5) was not particularly impressive,” said Button Down president Michael Hardesty. “But fooling around in the lane was a factor in that.”

The win pushed Sun Button’s record to 6-1-1-2. As for what’s next for his partnership’s colt, Hardesty said, “I’d like to run him against winners at Turfway once before deciding whether to take him to Keeneland or not. He’d certainly have to bring his ‘a-game’ to have any chance of competing there.”

Turfway’s meet ends on Apr. 2 with Keeneland opening Apr. 3.

Related posts:

1. Button Down Racing’s Sun Button Third at Turfway
2. Button Down Racing Has Big Night At Turfway
3. A Win Eludes BDR But Sun Button Places
4. BDR Trying To Find The Right Button For Sea Button
5. Button Down Hopes for Big Holiday Weekend At Turfway