Leave No Trace tries to take another step forward in Vagrancy

Leave No Trace has a license to be a formidable player in the older filly and mare sprint ranks, and she gets her first shot at the division Saturday in the Grade 3, $175,000 Vagrancy at the Belmont meet at Aqueduct.

The race will be run over 6 1/2 furlongs. The field of six also includes Hot Fudge, who is seeking to start a new win streak after putting together five straight victories from June 2023 to March 2024, and Big Pond, a fresh face from Southern California.

Leave No Trace was a Grade 1 winner at 2, when she captured the Spinaway over seven furlongs at Saratoga in September 2022. Now a 4-year-old, she comes into the Vagrancy off a win in a two-other-than allowance March 17 at Aqueduct. The Beyer Speed Figure of 88 that Leave No Trace earned for her effort in the 6 1/2-furlong race is the best last-race number in the field Saturday.

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“I thought it was a good race, three wins in three starts sprinting on dirt,” trainer Phil Serpe said. “Her works have been excellent. We’re hoping she’s going to continue to move forward, just like when she was a 2-year-old.”

Leave No Trace’s scored a debut win in a maiden special weight going 5 1/2 furlongs at Saratoga in July 2022. From there came the Spinaway, a third-place finish in the Frizette, and a runner-up finish in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Keeneland. Leave No Trace returned at 3 and was unplaced in four starts before landing back in the winner’s circle last out in her second race at 4.

“The filly is doing great,” Serpe said. “We ran into some bumps in the road, and I think we got them sorted out. Sometimes an early 2-year-old will struggle as they turn 3 and that was the case with her. But we kept at it. Her owners are incredible people, a lot of patience, and it was nice to see her come back and win like that.”

In advance of the Vagrancy, Leave No Trace has worked sharply, among her moves a half-mile in 47.40 seconds May 8. It came over the training track at Belmont.

“She was in a gallop,” Serpe said. “I think she got her last quarter in 23 and 1 and her last eighth in 11 and a tick. She was impressive.”

Jose Lezcano, who was aboard last out and for the Spinaway, has the mount from post 5 for WellSpring Stable.

“She obviously gets along well with Jose Lezcano,” Serpe said. “She likes to be forwardly placed. I don’t really think she needs to be up on the front end. I think she’s pretty tractable.”

Hot Fudge will start from the rail. Her win streak, which included three consecutive stakes victories, was halted last out when she finished fifth in the Grade 3 Distaff after dueling on the lead in the seven-furlong race at Aqueduct.

Big Pond is a California-bred who won two stakes in her native state before moving circuits. She is coming off a seventh-place finish in the Grade 1 Madison at Keeneland.

Imonra invades off a win in a six-furlong allowance at Gulfstream Park. Beguine is a stakes winner at this distance and is making her first start since October. Asset Purchase, who was a first-level allowance winner at six furlongs last month at Aqueduct, completes the field.

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