It’s Vyjack who has the lucky day on Super Saturday

Going in, trainer Eddie Plesa, Jr. was banking on a good performance in the Grade 2 Kelso Handicap as a way to push his stable star ever closer to the 1 ¼-mile Breeders’ Cup Classic. When that plan fizzled for Itsmyluckyday, it was Vyjack who was there to pounce on the opportunity. Possibly earning himself a trip to Santa Anita, the four-year-old gelding capitalized on a perfect trip and ran off with an impressive one-length victory in the $400,000 handicap that begin the parade of graded stakes on Super Saturday at Belmont Park.

Once upon a time, the Rudy Rodriguez trained son of Into Mischief was a viable candidate on last year’s Kentucky Derby trail. That road proved a bit bumpy, or perhaps a little long for Vyjack, but today’s victory demonstrated that with the right trip, and at the right distance, the Pick Six Racing charge can compete with anyone. The one-turn, one-mile Kelso, named after another gelding, who stands as one of America’s greatest in our racing history, set up well for Vyjack from the get go.

Able to grab an ideal stalking position behind a three-pronged speed duel between the three favorites, Vyjack waited and watched alone in fourth as the pressure up front began to be ratcheted up a few notches. With River Rocks on the rail, Itsmyluckyday in the middle, and Bradester on the outside, the pressured pace sped through a blistering second quarter that had to take a little starch out of all three. Advantage Vyjack. Moving comfortably up to the leaders on the far turn, Vyjack struck the front in early stretch, and while River Rocks remained very game on the rail, the winner was able to wear him down and hit the wire a clear winner.

"Today, the key was coming out of the gate," said Rodriguez. "Today, he broke good. I was very pleased with the way he was working in the morning, and I was happy to see him win because he'd been training very, very well in the mornings. Going a mile, he doesn't have to break as sharp [as he needs to] going shorter. To see him show up today was very, very special. Our main goal had been the Cigar Mile [Grade 1, Aqueduct Racetrack, November 29], but now I have to talk to the owner and see what his plans are now."

While the favorite Itsmyluckyday was burdened with the race high weight of 121 pounds, Vyjack carried six pounds less which included his able companion, Irad Ortiz, Jr. Final time for the eight furlongs over the fast Belmont main track was a solid 1:34.05. At nearly 10-1, Vyjack returned $21.20 to his happy backers.

For Itsmyluckyday, who never appeared to have his very best, the result creates questions as to where he best belongs come Breeders’ Cup. While today was only a prep for him, the third-place finish cannot inspire a great deal of confidence moving forward.

"We got beat," said Plesa. "That's why they race horses. They don't give you anything. I'm going to have to look at the race over again and see what I think. Maybe he was laying close, maybe he wasn't. I wasn't on him. It would be easy to say that [he was up too close to the pace] right now. I'm not willing to say that right now. I'm going to have to look at the race a little bit harder. I don't know what we'll do next. We'll get him back to the barn and see how he is." 

With the victory, Vyjack raised his lifetime mark to 14-6-0-2. The Kelso marked his first stakes win since taking the Grade 3 Gotham at Aqueduct more than 18 months ago. His only win in the meantime had been a seven furlong allowance race to begin the year.

In fairness to Vyjack, seven of his last nine races had come against Grade 1 competition, with only the Grade 2 Suburban, joining that allowance victory, as non-Grade 1 attempts since the Gotham win. That is, until today when Vyjack powered home in the Kelso. It was undoubtedly the strongest race of his his career, and the type of race that makes you think he could contend in races like the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile or the Cigar Mile in the coming weeks.