La Verdad 4-5 Choice in Vagrancy

New York-bred standout La Verdad will go in search of her second victory of 2015 when she headlines the Grade 3, $150,000 Vagrancy Handicap for older fillies and mares on Saturday at Belmont Park.

The 6 ½-furlong Vagrancy anchors a 12-race card on Preakness Day that also includes the seven-furlong, $100,000 Wait a While for 3-year-old fillies on turf. First post is at 12 noon.

La Verdad, a 5-year-old daughter of Yes It's True, made her seasonal debut in style, notching an effortless 5 ¼-length score on April 18 at Aqueduct Racetrack in the Grade 2 Distaff Handicap - a race she won for the second straight year.

As a 4-year-old, La Verdad was dominant against New York-bred competition, winning four stakes against her fellow state-breds, and nearly won the Grade 2 Barbara Fritchie and Grade 2 Gallant Bloom in addition to her Distaff triumph.

"She's coming into the race well," said Linda Rice, who trains La Verdad for Lady Sheila Stable. "I think the last race tightened her up a little bit. I struggled to get her into that race, but obviously she won very impressively. Hopefully we can keep moving forward and have another good year with her."

According to Rice, bigger races may be in La Verdad's future following the Vagrancy, as she looks to bolster her resume in what will likely be her final year of racing.

"With a filly like her - she'll be going to the breeding shed next fall - if we could get her a Grade 1 win this year, that'd be the ultimate goal," said Rice.

La Verdad is listed as the 4-5 morning-line favorite. The bay mare will break from the rail with regular rider Jose Ortiz aboard.

Trainer David Jacobson will saddle Room for Me, who has come to hand quickly since being claimed by Jacobson for $12,500 on February 12. In her first start off the claim, the 5-year-old daughter of Harlington took the Videogenic Stakes by 13 ½ lengths on March 21 at the Big A, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 105 for the effort, and then won an optional claimer by 4 ½ lengths on May 8 at Belmont.

Room for Me, 2-1 on the morning line, will be ridden by Cornelio Velasquez from post 4.

Jacobson will also send out Frivolity, who was second in the Distaff in her most recent outing. Angel Cruz will be aboard the 5-year-old mare by Corinthian, and the pair will leave from post 5.

Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin will be represented by a pair of runners: Mamdooha and Sustainable. The former is five for seven in her career and is coming off a third-place finish in the Distaff behind La Verdad and Frivolity, while the latter last finished fourth in the Primonetta Stakes at Pimlico.

"[Mamdooha] only got a pound from La Verdad last time; this time we're going to get five pounds, but she's going to be tough to beat," said McLaughlin. "Mamdooha tries hard; she's won five of seven races. [Sustainable] ran well and had to wait a bit [in the Primonetta]. The race before that she won an allowance [at Aqueduct]. We're in with a chance, but it'll be tough to run [La Verdad] down."

Mamdooha sits at 6-1 on the morning line, and will enlist the services of Irad Ortiz, Jr. from post 3. At 15-1 on the morning line, Sustainable will break from post 2 with Junior Alvarado up.

Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf runner-up Sunset Glow is set to headline the Wait a While for trainer Wesley Ward and Ten Broeck Farm.

As a 2-year-old, Sunset Glow won the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante before finishing second by 2 ¾ lengths to Lady Eli in the Juvenile Fillies Turf. In her 3-year-old debut, the daughter of Exchange Rate again had the misfortune of facing Lady Eli, this time finishing third to the brilliant turf filly in the Grade 3 Appalachian on April 12 at Keeneland.

Sunset Glow is listed as the 2-1 morning-line favorite, and will be ridden by Jose Ortiz from post 3.

A promising bunch of turf sprinters has lined up to face Sunset Glow, most notably Lady Shipman, who has won her last four starts by a combined 28 ½ lengths. A chestnut daughter of Midshipman, Lady Shipman is undefeated on turf, most recently winning the five-furlong Stormy Blues Stakes at Pimlico by five lengths.

Trained by Kathleen O'Connell for Ranlo Investments, Lady Shipman, 5-2 on the morning line, will retain the services of Eduardo Nunez, who has been aboard for all five of her career starts. The duo will depart from post 6.

Rounding out the field are Celestine, who will make her first start for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott; My Cara Mia, runner-up in a first-level allowance race on Opening Day at Belmont; All in Fun, fourth in the Sanibel Island Stakes at Gulfstream in her most recent start; Isabella Sings, second in the Sanibel Island; Stella Street, who will make her North American debut for white-hot trainer Chad Brown; and Ancient Goddess, winner of the Star Shoot Stakes at Woodbine in her latest outing.

Noble and a Beauty is entered for the main track only.


Source: NYRA Communications