She's Vested better value this time

MIAMI - She's Vested appears to have just as much a chance of winning Wednesday's $35,000-added Auld Lang Syne Purse at Calder as she did when she was the 6-5 favorite in the Good Intentions Stakes on Nov. 1. Except this time, she figures to offer more value than she did in the Good Intentions - when she was not only a short price but also the runner-up.

The Auld Lang Syne, a 1 1/16-mile grass race, drew a competitive field of 10 fillies and mares, including Grade 2 main-track winner Ivanavinalot, local division mainstays Dakota Light and Hermans Honor, and major contenders Born Something, All the Honor, and Maliziosa.

She's Vested fell a half-length short of catching loose-on-the-lead Gypsy Dot in the Good Intentions. She also finished second behind Lost Appeal in the Holy Capote Stakes in her only other start here this year. A 4-year-old daughter of Boundary, She's Vested was an allowance winner at Gulfstream in April before shipping to New York, where she held her own against stakes-caliber competition this summer.

"I think she's at her best right now," said trainer Steve DiMauro. " In her last start I think the rider [Julio Garcia] might have gotten a little overconfident and felt he could take the horse on the lead anytime he wanted. Unfortunately, that filly ran a big race and just went on with it after being left alone on the front."

Garcia has the return call on She's Vested in the Auld Lang Syne.

Ivanavinalot finished third in her grass debut in the Grade 3 My Charmer earlier this month. She returned two weeks later in the Frances Genter Stakes, drew post 12, and lost all chance after breaking slowly and getting hung out wide into the first turn.

Ivanavinalot figures to be on or with the pace from the outset of the Auld Lang Syne. But she must avoid an early battle with All the Honor, who has won both her starts since switching from dirt to turf, including a wire-to-wire, four-length allowance victory going a mile on Nov. 21.

Born Something finished third behind Hermans Honor after encountering trouble on the turn in the second division of the Good Intentions, and has hit the board in seven of her eight starts since coming to the U.S. from Europe in 2002.

Hermans Honor has won a pair of overnight turf stakes here this year, while the versatile Dakota Light is a three-time stakes winner this year - although two of the victories came on dirt.