Post 11 no problem for Vibez in Swingtime victory
?q=100)
Despite a wide draw, Vibez had a favorable trip in Monday’s $98,500 Swingtime Stakes for fillies and mares at Santa Anita, winning her first stakes in her third appearance in such a race.
Ridden by Juan Hernandez, Vibez was well positioned before the field reached the first turn. Hernandez managed to guide Vibez into a stalking position while racing two wide in fifth place and then fourth for the first half-mile of the one-mile grass race.
Turning into the stretch, Vibez trailed by about two lengths. She overtook early stretch leader Venganza with less than a furlong remaining and held off a late threat from an unlucky Word Play to win by a neck.
Sent off favored, Vibez ($7.40) was timed in 1:34.93. She started from post 11 in a field of 12, a starting spot that concerned trainer Peter Eurton in recent days.
Hernandez “rode a perfect race,” Eurton said. “It worked out well. My concerns were there, and they were valid. They didn’t materialize.”
Word Play, also 5-2, had a troubled trip through the stretch. Ridden by Umberto Rispoli, Word Play stalked pacesetter Violeta M while racing on the inside. In early stretch, Word Play lacked racing room at a pivotal time while Vibez was able to reach contention on the outside. Rispoli moved Word Play to the inside in the final furlong and got a sufficient response to finish second.
Nadette closed well to finish third, followed by Venganza, Raw Ability, Watchtower, Sun of Hill, Baltic Fire, Mahina, Granny Budgie, Violeta M, and Miss Roberts.
Eurton said Vibez will be considered for the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes for fillies and mares at a mile on turf at Del Mar on Nov. 30. The $300,000 Matriarch Stakes is one of the leading grass races for fillies and mares in California each year.
Vibez, a 4-year-old filly by Collected, races for the partnership of Joe Ciaglia, Exline-Border Racing, Richard Hausman, and Garett Zubok. She has won 4 of 14 starts and earned $228,030. The Swingtime Stakes was restricted to non-winners of a stakes worth $60,000 or more to the winner, other than statebred races, this year.
Vibez started in two other stakes prior to Monday, finishing 10th of 11 at 32-1 in the Grade 1 American Oaks at Santa Anita last December, and second by a neck in the Wasted Tears Stakes on turf at Lone Star Park in June.
Vibez had only one start as a 2-year-old, finishing fifth in a maiden race on turf at Del Mar in September 2023. She was diagnosed with a fractured tibia following that race and did not resume racing until April 2024.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.