Cavorting Sparkles In Grade 1 Ogden Phipps

In a star-studded field of older females on the Belmont Stakes undercard, which included last year's Breeders' Cup winner, Stopchargingmaria and romping La Troienne winner, Curalina, it was Cavorting who stole the show. In basically a replication of her win in the Ruffian Stakes last month, she unleashed a winning rally through the stretch to score an authoritative victory in the 1 1/16-mile G1 Ogden Phipps Stakes.

The 4-year old filly by Bernardini, raced toward the rear of the field through a half-mile in :46 1/5. On the far-turn, jockey Florent Geroux, riding the horse for the first time, angled her out five-wide and she began her charge the down the middle of the track on her way to a 2 1/2-length win. Forever Unbridled rallied up to the runner-up spot, after steadying while searching for running room at the top of the lane. It was another 1/2-length back to third-place finisher, Carrumba. The final time for the distance was 1:40.

Jockey Florent Geroux said after the race: "She broke well and I was able to relax her at the pack of the pack. She settled very nicely for me and when I asked her to go down the lane, she responded well.

Winning trainer Kiaran McLaughlin basically echoed the comments of the winning rider: "I was happy during the race because she was settled. She can get keen, so when she settled, I was happy. I just wanted her to wait and go outside. Once that happened, I was happy. He (Geroux) did a great job."

Cavorting, who is nearly flawless over the Belmont surface, with four wins from five starts, now has won seven times from a dozen starts. The victory today gives her two career Grade 1 wins.