Kirby's Penny makes successful stakes debut in Vagrancy

ELMONT, N.Y. – Kirby’s Penny, a filly owner Kent Spellman had to buy twice, made those investments pay off in a big way Saturday when she scored a 1 1/2-length victory in the Grade 3, $200,000 Vagrancy Handicap at Belmont Park.

Spellman initially purchased Kirby’s Penny for $70,000 as a yearling. He lost her in a claiming race for $20,000 on April 7, 2017, then had Ward claim her back 10 days later for $40,000. Saturday, Kirby’s Penny earned $120,000.

“Those guys,” trainer Wesley Ward said of owner Julian Thomas and trainer John Ortiz who had claimed Kirby’s Penny “made a nice profit with a win and a claim, but it all turned for Mr. Spellman, who had put all the money to buy her initially, so that was nice.”

Since the reclaim, Kirby’s Penny had three wins and two seconds. Saturday, she was making her stakes debut in a modest field of six fillies and mares in the Vagrancy.

Under John Velazquez, Kirby’s Penny pressed the early pace of Sounds Delicious and Chalon, then eased back to let those two duke it out through a half-mile run in 45.12 seconds.

Velazquez guided Kirby’s Penny three to four wide turning for home and she was able to overtake Chalon, who had made the lead in midstretch. Chalon finished second by 3 1/4 lengths over Holiday Disguise, the 7-5 favorite. Sounds Delicious, Swing and Sway, and Ascertain completed the order of finish.

Kirby’s Penny, a 5-year-old daughter of Macho Uno, covered the 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:16.42 and returned $16.20 to win, getting a 92 Beyer Speed Figure.

“I committed myself to go to the lead and just to force them,” Velazquez said. “If they wanted [the lead], I’d take back. If not, I’d take it. When they wanted it, I took back little by little, went to the outside, and it worked out perfect.”

For Velazquez, it was his fifth victory in the Vagrancy. One of them came in 2004 aboard Bear Fan – bred, owned, and trained by Ward – who owns the track record for 6 1/2 furlongs (1:14.46, shared with Super Shape).

“I never gave Johnny instructions in all these years even when he broke the track record on Bear Fan for me in this race,” Ward said. “Just a tremendous rider, I’m lucky to get him. Whenever I do get him, he always seems to work out the right trip.”

Ward said he would likely give Kirby’s Penny a break and point her to the sprint stakes at Saratoga including the Grade 1 Ballerina on Aug. 25.