Vequist goes from maiden to Grade 1 winner in Spinaway romp
Vequist -- who was beaten a nose at Parx when debuting July 29 for trainer Robert Reid Jr. -- shipped to Saratoga and blitzed the field in Sunday's Grade 1, $250,000 Spinaway Stakes for 2-year-old fillies.
Sent off at 6-1 in the six-horse field, Vequist hounded pacesetter Esplanade while racing two wide in the seven-furlong Spinaway before drawing on even terms with that rival approaching the quarter pole. When set down for the drive by Luis Saez, Vequist quickly responded and expanded her advantage to win going away by 9 1/2 lengths.
Fractions for the race were :22.41, :44.87 and 1:09.33 with Vequist completing the trip on a fast track in 1:22.29. She paid $15.20. Vequist, who is from the first crop of Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist, was followed across the wire by Esplanade, Lady Lilly and Irish Constitution.
"The plan today was to try and follow the speed," Saez said. "There was a lot of speed in the race so I wanted to break from there and find a good spot. Everything went so well, we broke and we were right there. When we got to the three-eighths I had a lot of horse and when we came to the stretch she took off."
As for even-money favorite Beautiful Memories, a rough Saratoga meet continued for both her and trainer Mark Casse. After being pulled up as the odds-on favorite in the July 16 Schuylverville (G3) on opening day, Beautiful Memories was again not persevered with in the Spinaway after dropping anchor on the turn. Casse, an inductee this year into the Racing Hall of Fame, entered Sunday's card with just one win from 37 starts and 10 seconds at the meet.
Out of graded-stakes placed Vero Amore, by Mineshaft, Vequist is owned by breeder Swilcan Stables, Gary Barber and Wachtel Stables. In her debut going 4 1/2 furlongs Parx, Vequist pressed the pace throughout, but couldn't quite catch the leader when falling a nose short.
"It was okay," Reid said of the debut effort. "We knew we were up against it but the horse that beat her [Niente] was a very fast horse. That race got a very good number and we knew she was a quality racehorse. That horse was in and out in front of her and she never hesitated, never balked and just kept on running."
Barber and Wachtel Stables bought-in to Vequist following that debut. As for entering the Grade 1 Spinaway while still a maiden, Reid noted Vequist's preparations led to the decision.
"It was more about the morning training than it was her first race," Reid said. "We breezed her out of the gate one time and she was only supposed to go a half-mile. But she went in 48 and just kept going 1:01, 1:13 and 1:26.
"Even though we ran her in that four and a half furlong race, it was more just getting a race under her belt. She was going to be looking for longer things down the road. You don't expect to win a Grade 1 with a maiden, but I knew the distance wasn't a problem."