Going to Vegas hits jackpot in John C. Mabee Stakes
DEL MAR, Calif. – There were about 8,405 people at Del Mar on Saturday and they all ended up in the winner’s circle after Going to Vegas won the Grade 2, $201,000 John C. Mabee Stakes.
Okay, they all weren’t in there, but the ownership group of Going to Vegas – three partnerships that individually have numerous investors - had a couple hundred of their very closest friends join them, taking up so much space there wasn’t room for the horse. Going to Vegas instead stood on the dirt outside the winner's circle.
The happiest people at the track, one official said, was Benoit Photo, the track photographer.
“That was funny. It’s cool,” said Flavien Prat, who rode Going to Vegas ($5.80) to a win that was as popular with the bettors, who sent her off the favorite in the 1 1/8-mile race for older female grass runners.
Going to Vegas was coming off a victory July 16 in a second-level allowance going the same 1 1/8 miles on turf as the Mabee. But she’s been a graded stakes winner, and the move back into graded company was not much of a leap.
Going to Vegas, who broke toward the outside of the seven-horse field, got an ideal trip under Prat. She stalked Nasty – like Going to Vegas trained by Richard Baltas – through six furlongs in 1:12.41, took over coming off the final bend, and kicked clear. She was timed in 1:48.14 for 1 1/8 miles on firm turf.
“Good trip. Good post,” said Prat, who picked up the mount when Umberto Rispoli, who had been riding both Going to Vegas and Dogtag in their recent starts, opted for Dogtag. “We weren’t going very fast. She had a really good turn of foot.”
Going to Vegas crossed the wire 2 1/4 lengths in front of Dogtag, who rallied for second for the fourth straight time this year. Bodhicitta – Baltas’s third entrant in the race - finished 1 1/4 lengths farther back in third, with Brazilian import Fast Jet Court rallying late for fourth in her United States debut.
Maxim Rate was fifth, then came a tired Nasty, and Tapwater. Quiet Secretary and She’s Our Charm were scratched earlier in the day.
Going to Vegas, 4, is by Goldencents. She has now won six times, and finished second eight times, in 21 starts, and the $120,000 first prize in the Mabee increased her bankroll to $454,151.
Going to Vegas is owned by Abbondanza Racing – a partnership headed by Del Mar attorney Bing Bush Jr. – as well as Medallion Racing and MyRacehorse.
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