Run Away Rojo romps in $100,000 Bucchero Handicap at Horseshoe Indianapolis

Run Away Rojo and Keith Asmussen turned in a fast closing effort to win the title in the 21^st running of the $100,000 Bucchero Handicap Wednesday at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

The team paired up for an impressive effort in the one mile and one-sixteenth race taken off the turf due to earlier rains.

Because of the surface change, the field scratched down to seven starters with Run Away Rojo on the outside when the gates sprung open. Funtastic Vow and Sammy Bermudez went straight to the front and led by open lengths during the first three quarters of the race as Hoosier Daddy Now and Marcelino Pedroza Jr. held down the second spot with Run Away Rojo to his outside.

Heading into the final turn, the gap began to shorten between the field and Funtastic Vow. By the time the field had reached the stretch, there was a new leader as Run Away Rojo put a head in front for the final furlong.

In the stretch, Run Away Rojo moved out for the lead and only had Chicory Blaze to contend with in the final strides. Although Rodney Prescott had Chicory Blaze in full stride to take down Run Away Rojo, their efforts were a little too late as Run Away Rojo was a winner by a neck at the wire. Funtastic Vow finished third.

“I’m sending the biggest congratulations to Hector Rodriguez and the team for this win today,” noted Asmussen about his father, Steve’s, second trainer. “This horse walked into the paddock, and I had a giant smile on my face. He (Run Away Rojo) looked super.”

Run Away Rojo was a mild upset winner, paying $12.00 for the win. The five-year-old chestnut son of Run Away and Hide is owned by West Point Thoroughbreds and James Nichols. Bred by Sharon Dodgen and Barak Farm of Indiana, he was making his second start for Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen after finishing second in his first start at Horseshoe Indianapolis in early July.

“He (Run Away Rojo) was last to load and broke well,” added the well-spoken Asmussen. “Last time, I may have been a little too passive when I rode him, so today, I have him a bit more motivation and he gave me a great effort for the win.”

Run Away Rojo was initially a $40,000 purchase as a yearling from the Fasig Tipton October Sale and was later sold as a two-year-old for $120,000 in the Ocala Breeders’ Spring Sale for Two-Year-Olds in Training. The Indiana bred has spent his entire career in Indiana and now has six wins and more than $300,000 in earnings.

The win in the Bucchero was his second premier racing victory, adding it to his win in the $100,000 Hoosier Breeders Sophomore Handicap in 2023.

The Bucchero Handicap is named in honor of Indiana’s all-time leading performer, Bucchero, who earned just under $950,000 during his career. The Graded Stakes winner stood as a stallion in Florida and is now standing in New York where he is experiencing much success in the breeding business.

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