NYRA/Adam Coglianese
By Sarah Mace
Escape to Vegas (Desert Party) turned in a thoroughly professional performance when unveiled in the opening race at Belmont Park Wednesday, a five-furlong, $60,000 maiden special weight for New York-bred 2-year-olds.
The field, which (after a pair of scratches) featured second-time starter Jegos Fire and four firsters, got away quickly, with the exception of odds-on favorite Conquest Prankster, who suffered a bump at the break.
While Jegos Fire, Giant Rocks and Three Thirteen, battled for the early lead, Escape to Vegas, who was the 9-2 fourth choice in the betting, settled in fourth early on from his inside post. The duo of Jegos Fire and Giant Rocks carried their duel into the far turn, and opened three lengths of daylight on Escape to Vegas, who had advanced to third, drilling a first quarter mile in 22.33.
Escape to Vegas crept up on the leaders in the turn, and got on even terms by quarter pole as he angled out three wide for the drive.
Taking over the lead midstretch, the colt widened his advantage to 4 3/4 lengths by the time he hit the wire, ridden out in a final time of 58.38. Jegos Fire hung tough to preserve the place, while Conquest Prankster recovered from his early bump to collect third money. Three to Thirteen and Giant Rocks completed the order of finish. [VIDEO]
Trained by Thomas Morley for Robert Masiello, Escape to Vegas is a bay son of New York sire Desert Party (Sequel Stallions New York), who was bred by Sinatra Thoroughbred Racing & Breeding and foaled at Rick Burke’s Irish Hill Century Farm in Stillwater.
In addition to the $36,000 winner’s share of the purse, Escape to Vegas earned a bonus of $9,000 for owner Masiello and $4,000 for trainer Morley through a program funded this spring by the New York State Thoroughbred Breeding and Development Fund for the owners and trainers of New York-breds who finish first, second or third in any state-bred or open maiden juvenile race held during the Aqueduct spring and Belmont spring-summer meet.
The program also awards the owners and trainers of second and third-place finishers: runner up Jegos Fire earned $4,500 for the owner and $3,000 for the trainer, while the connections of the third-place finisher earned $2,500 and $2,000 for third on top of purse money.
Escape to Vegas was purchased as a weanling by William Butler at the Keeneland November Sale for $40,000. He was picked up by Masiello for the same price the following summer at the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred preferred yearling sale.
The colt’s dam is Runaway Tiger (Runaway Groom), a New York-bred winner of a pair of stakes at Finger Lakes and now a producer of six winners from six starters. Her most successful offspring is Scat Away (Scat Away), a three-time winner and consistent check-getter also foaled at Irish Hill Century Farm who has earned $206,680 to date.
Desert Party stands at Sequel Stallions New York for a 2016 stud fee of $4,000.
