Aqueduct
La Verdad likely for Vagrancy
Joe Labozzetta/NYRA La Verdad won the Distaff Handicap on Saturday at Aqueduct.
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – About an hour before Kid Cruz won the Tesio at Pimlico, trainer Linda Rice watched from Ocala as La Verdad rolled to a 3 3/4-length front-running victory in the Grade 2, $200,000 Distaff Handicap at Aqueduct.
It was La Verdad’s seventh win from nine starts and her first in a graded race. She ran six furlongs in 1:09.10 and earned a 98 Beyer.
Rice said La Verdad likely will be pointed to the Grade 3, $150,000 Vagrancy Handicap at Belmont on May 17.
Rice said her major objective for La Verdad is the Grade 1, $500,000 Ballerina at Saratoga in late August.
“I wish it was sooner,” Rice said. “She’s obviously right right now.”