NYRA/Adam Coglianese
For the second year in a row Vicki’s Dancer came home with the laurels in the $125,000 Staten Island division of the New York Stallion Stakes series for New York-sired fillies and mares. The seven-furlong race was co-featured at Aqueduct Racetrack on Saturday afternoon along the NYSS Thunder Rumble division for males.
A 5-year-old daughter of Disco Rico, Vicki’s Dancer had not won a race since last year’s Staten Island, but had not run a bad race in eight starts since, including a second and three thirds in stakes competition and another runner-up finish in an allowance. For her twenty-sixth career start, she sported blinkers for the first time and was bet down to the 3-1 second choice in the field of nine.
Breaking from midpack, Vicki’s Dancer set up in a classic stalking position behind Uncle Southern, who shot straight to the lead from post two. Pursing the leader down the backstretch through early fractions of 23.24 and 46.37, Vicki’s Dancer began to press in earnest through the far turn, drawing even with Uncle Southern, dropping back a little from the added ground and drawing even again.
NYRA/Adam Coglianese
At the head of the lane Vicki’s Dancer took over the lead, and jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. took a look around and went to work. The dark bay mare kept hold of her advantage under a drive for the length of the stretch, winning by 1 1/4 lengths in a final time of 1:25.12. Saythreehailmary’s passed Uncle Southern in the final strides to grab second by a half-length. Uncle Southern in third was followed across the line by Storied Lady, 2012 Staten Island winner Sunny Desert, Royal Suspicion, Champagne Ruby, Skye Saratoga and Just Catty. [VIDEO]
Ortiz reported, “My trip was good. [Trainer Rudy Rodriguez] did a great job with the filly, adding blinkers today. It was a good change. She improved with the blinkers, and I think it helped a lot. She put me in a great position, and took off when I asked her.”
Rodriguez added, “I thought with the blinkers on, she’d be a little closer. She hung in there pretty good. She’s nice and sound, so we try to keep her happy. At Saratoga, she looked like she was hanging, hanging, hanging. [Co-owner] Mr. [Michael] Dubb suggested we put blinkers on and it worked.”
One of six winners out of Love That Glitter, an unraced daughter of Glitterman, Vicki’s Dancer was bred by Robert Jarras and foaled at Keane Stud in Amenia. Vicki’s Dancer was claimed by Rodriguez for Michael Dubb, Bethlehem Stables LLC and Gary Aisquith from her breeder in May 2013 for $50,000. She has now won two Stallion Stakes series races, compiled a record of six wins, five seconds and eight thirds from 26 starts and has earned a robust $439,025.
