Servis loaded with turf sprinters

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – Trainer Jason Servis had himself a busy day last Saturday that included sending out key contenders in a couple of important Kentucky Derby preps, the Tampa Bay Derby and Gotham. But Servis ended up having his best success on the afternoon in a pair of five-furlong stakes over the local turf course, sweeping the co-featured Silks Run and Captiva Island with Vision Perfect and Blue Bahia.

Vision Perfect turned in the race of his life, readily sweeping past defending champion and world-record holder Pay Any Price en route to a 4 3/4-length triumph in the Silks Run, receiving a career-best 104 Beyer Speed Figure in the process.

One almost needed perfect vision to actually see Blue Bahia slip up the rail to upset favored Morticia in the Captiva Island, run in near darkness about five hours later. Both Vision Perfect and Blue Bahia were ridden to victory by Paco Lopez.

The win was the first for Vision Perfect since being claimed for $80,000 by the Mr. Amore Stable and sent to Servis last June.

“Vision Perfect is like a whole new horse for me,” said Servis, who was in New York on Saturday to watch Firenze Fire finish fourth in the Gotham. “It took me a little bit to figure this guy out, but I think I’m in a groove with him now.”

Servis was even more excited talking about Blue Bahia, who won for the third time in her last four starts and would likely be unbeaten during that streak had she not stepped in a hole and stumbled while seemingly on the way to victory near midstretch of the Ladies’ Turf Sprint here Jan. 27. Blue Bahia is owned by Dennis Drazin, who lost the filly for $25,000 here last March before taking her back for $30,000 four weeks later.

“I wouldn’t have given $5,000 for her as a 3-year-old, she was just a little skinny thing. It was Dennis who wanted to take her back after we lost her. She went to Monmouth and won a stakes in her very next start and I said to him afterwards ‘Aren’t you glad I told you to take her back?’,” Servis said with a laugh.

Servis, who is planning to stay local until May 1, said he’s not sure where he’ll run either of his turf-sprint specialists next. However, he said there is a race for Vision Perfect at Churchill Downs on Derby Day he might consider, especially since that will be the site of the 2018 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.

Servis also may have another key player in the division later this season, New Farm’s 8-year-old homebred Rainbow Heir, who was retired to stud following his very impressive victory in the Gulfstream Park Turf Sprint on Jan. 27.

“The owner said since I complained so much about retiring him after he won the stakes, he is seriously considering sending him back to me to put back into training after the breeding season ends in early June,” Servis said.

Servis also said that World of Trouble, a tiring third as the 8-5 favorite in the Tampa Bay Derby, would likely be turned back to seven furlongs for his next start with the Woody Stephens on Belmont Stakes Day among his potential goals during the spring.

“I thought he ran his ass off, but he just might not be a mile-and-one-sixteenth or mile-and-one-eighth horse, at least right now,” Servis said.