Bushwacker’s strong Florida family ties

By JoAnn Guidry

Florida-bred Bushwacker, who won the Vernon O. Underwood Stakes (G3) on December 2 at Hollywood Park, has quite an extended Florida family.

By Outflanker out of Musical Score, by Romantic Lead, the 5-year-old Bushwacker was bred by Lawrence Levy’s Starship Stables. A longtime client of Bonnie Heath Farm, Levy moved his stock when that operation’s farm manager Ken Breitenbecker became the stallion manager at CloverLeaf Farms II. Among Levy’s broodmares was Musical Score, who would be bred to CloverLeaf Farms stallion Outflanker.

Bushwacker was foaled and raised at CloverLeaf Farms. Later he and Musical Score were both sold by CloverLeaf Farms, acting as agent for Levy.

“Bushwacker was just one of those foals who was nice from day one,” said Brent Fernung, who was served as CloverLeaf Farms general manager for seven years; he and wife Crystal now own and operate Journeyman Stud. “He was an extremely nice yearling and I had every expectation to think he’d go on and become an outstanding racehorse.”

Consigned by CloverLeaf Farms II, agent, to the 2003 OBS August yearling sale, Bushwacker was sold for $47,000. Agent Dick Lossen signed the ticket for William Currin in the name of Oak Tree Farm.

Fernung’s prediction of Bushwacker’s racing success did indeed come to fruition. Co-owned by trainer Currin and Alvin Eisman, Bushwacker has to date posted five wins, four seconds and two thirds and earned $285,840. Prior to his Vernon O. Underwood Stakes (G3) win, Bushwacker posted a second in the 2004 Hollywood Prevue Stakes (G3) and was third in the 2006 listed Sunshine Millions Padua Stables Sprint.

In the Vernon O. Underwood Stakes, Bushwacker defeated Florida-bred grade-one stakes winner In Summation by three-quarters of a length. Finishing third was Greg’s Gold, who is also a grade-one stakes winner. Bushwacker turned in a winning time of 1:08.47 for the six furlongs. It was his second win in but five starts this season; he’s banked $101,520 this year.

Musical Score, the dam of Bushwacker, was consigned by CloverLeaf Farms II, Brent Fernung agent, to the 2003 OBS October mixed sale. In foal to Halo’s Image, Musical Score sold for $7,000 to Stephen L. DiMauro, agent. Musical Score then joined the Joseph and Dorothy Raffas’ bloodstock boarded at Candace Finnie’s Ocala-based Oak Hall Farm.

Finnie, who is a medical technologist at Ocala Equine Hospital, established her Oak Hall Farm six years ago. The farm is home to Finnie’s 10 broodmares, as well as those of her clients. Finnie also has a training operation based at New Haven Farm.

“I breed to sell in all the markets and we do race some too,” said Finnie. “The Raffas have been clients of mine for a long time. I always liked Musical Score and she always produces a nice foal. So when the Raffas decided to sell her, it was an easy decision for me to buy her privately.”

Now owned by Finnie, Musical Score had a 2007 Mr. Livingston filly and is in foal to Exchange Rate.

“We’ve kept track of Bushwacker and after he won an allowance race in November, I contacted Mr. Currin to congratulate him,” said Finnie. “We’ve stayed in touch since then. We watched the Vernon O. Underwood Stakes on TVG and I’m still hoarse from yelling for Bushwacker. He’s like a part of our family

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