Dat You Miz Blue dominates Vagrancy Handicap

ELMONT, N.Y. - Dat You Miz Blue completely dominated Dream Supreme, one of the country's best sprint fillies, winning Saturday's $106,800 Vagrancy Handicap by 6 3/4 lengths on a sultry summer day at Belmont Park.

Dream Supreme, the 4-5 favorite and 122-pound highweight, finished second, two lengths ahead of Katz Me If You Can. Finder's Fee and Lucky Livi completed the order of finish.

Dat You Miz Blue sprang to the lead from her outside post in the Grade 3 Vagrancy and produced an opening quarter in 21.97 seconds. Dream Supreme forced the pace from the rail for the first half-mile, which was run in 44.32 seconds, but couldn't keep up with Dat You Miz Blue, who opened up when the field straightened for home.

Bill Mott, Dream Supreme's trainer, offered no excuses. "We tried [the winner] at the five-sixteenths pole, but couldn't manage."

Dat You Miz Blue ran the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15.32 over a fast track.

John Velazquez, aboard the winner, said he tapped Dat You Miz Blue once and smooched at her early in the stretch. "She's just so impressive; she's getting better and better," Velazquez said. "She's relaxing now in the gate and doesn't get so nervous."

Winning trainer Jimmy Jerkens said, "When I had her last year, she was breaking all screwed up. Now she breaks much better. When they're as strong as she is, they get more confidence."

Dat You Miz Blue ($5.50) carried 116 pounds.

The Vagrancy was Dat You Miz Blue's first graded win. Earlier this year, the 4-year-old New York-bred won the restricted Broadway.

Proud Man scores upset in Hill Prince

In a thrilling finish, Proud Man ran down Navesink in the final yards to win the $114,600 Hill Prince by a neck over the late-charging Package Store. Navesink held on for third, a head behind the runner-up.

After the winner's circle photo was taken, Proud Man was loaded into the horse ambulance, while bleeding profusely from a laceration suffered on his right hind pastern.

Jimmy Iselin, one of Proud Man's co-owners, said the cut wasn't serious and might not even require stitches.

Rene Douglas, who rode the winner, said, "Before the start of the race, he was a little anxious and kicked the side of the gate."

Proud Man ($9.20) ran the 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.25 on a firm turf course.

The Grade 3 Hill Prince was Proud Man's third graded stakes win this season for Harry Benson, who trains the 3-year-old colt for a partnership. In his last start, Proud Man finished second in the Hawthorne Derby as the favorite. His only poor performance this season came on the dirt in the Flamingo.