Aqueduct: Vicki’s Dancer overcomes traffic to win Staten Island

OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Michael Dubb claimed Vicki’s Dancer two months ago primarily for her prowess over Aqueduct’s inner track, where she has a record of 2-2-1 from six starts.

On Saturday, Vicki’s Dancer demonstrated she’s okay over the main track as well, overcoming a traffic-filled trip to run down Familyofroses and win the $125,000 Staten Island division of the New York Stallion Stakes by a neck. It was one length back to P J’s Superego, who finished a neck in front of favored Kelli Got Frosty.

Vicki’s Dancer was making her second start for Dubb, Bethlehem Stables, and Gary Aisquith, who claimed her for $50,000 in September and turned her over to Rudy Rodriguez. In her first start for these connections, Vicki’s Dancer finished fourth behind the undefeated multiple graded stakes winner Cluster of Stars in the Iroquois at Belmont.

There were no horses the caliber of Cluster of Stars in the Staten Island.

Breaking from post 3 under Eddie Castro, Vicki’s Dancer sat an inside trip behind a modest pace of 47.83 seconds for the half-mile set by My Jopia.

Approaching the top of the stretch, Castro had to wait to find running room and finally had to go to about the six-path to find it. Once in the clear, Vicki’s Dancer wore down Familyofroses, who had made a brief lead at the eighth pole.

Vicki’s Dancer, a 4-year-old daughter of Disco Rico, covered the seven furlongs in 1:24.71 and returned $10.80 as the second choice in a field of nine.

“Turning for home, it got a little tight and the horses were all squished a little bit,” Castro said. “But after that she split [horses] and fought and gave me a really good finish.”

Vicki’s Dancer earned $75,000 for the victory, which already made her a successful claim for Dubb - and the winter hasn’t even arrived yet.

“She looked like a good inner-dirt-track horse,” Dubb said. “You look at her form you see what I see; it’s not a secret. The filly and mares are not that competitive come the winter time in the statebred ranks. Today, I was hopeful.”

Rodriguez also trained Kelli Got Frosty, who, after breaking from the rail, had to go eight to nine wide in the stretch and had to settle for fourth, beaten 1 1/2 lengths.

“She’s too big for the one hole,” Rodriguez said. “By the time she got herself together she’s on top of the other horses. That’s what you got to deal with when you get a bad post.”