Vacation Dance, Moonage Daydream take juvenile stakes

Vacation Dance became a stakes winner Saturday, when he set the pace and went on to a 1 1/4-length victory over No Nay Hudson in the $120,000 Atlantic Beach at Aqueduct. It was another 2 1/2 lengths back in third to Inflation Nation.

The Atlantic Beach, a six-furlong turf race for 2-year-olds, was one of two stakes on the card. The $120,000 Stewart Manor for 2-year-old fillies was won on the front end by Moonage Daydream ($30.60).

Vacation Dance ($7) moved to the fore soon after the start of the Atlantic Beach and set fractions of 22.30 seconds for the opening quarter and 44.65 for the half-mile. He proceeded to cover the distance on firm ground in 1:08.41.

Kendrick Carmouche was aboard the winner for trainer John Kimmel.

Vacation Dance was making the third start of his career in the Atlantic Beach. He was a debut winner Sept. 4 at Saratoga, in a maiden special weight for New York-breds over 5 1/2 furlongs on turf. One start later, Vacation Dance was third by a neck in the Grade 3 Futurity at the Belmont at the Big A meet Oct. 9.

“He’s a large horse, a tick under 17 hands,” Kimmel said. “I really think he’ll move forward into next year.”

Kimmel said earlier this week that Vacation Dance could develop into a candidate for the $500,000 Great White Way division of the New York Stallion Stakes Series. The seven-furlong race for 2-year-olds is Dec. 17 at Aqueduct.

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It would mark the dirt debut for the son of The Lieutenant.

“We might try to see how he handles it,” Kimmel said. “He’s a really nice mover, has nice action.”

Vacation Dance races for Sleeping Giant Stables, America’s Pastime Stables, and KimDon Racing. Vacation Dance is now 2 for 3 with earnings of $132,400.

* In the Stewart Manor, Moonage Daydream set fractions of 22.30 seconds for the opening quarter and 44.66 for the half-mile. In the stretch she turned back a bid from Redifined, and went on to a 1 1/4-length win over that one. It was another neck back in third to Georgees Spirit.

Moonage Daydream covered six furlongs on firm turf in 1:08.66. Reylu Gutierrez was aboard the winner for trainer Jorge Abreu.

Moonage Daydream is a daughter of Candy Ride who races for Chris Larsen. She is now 2 for 3, winning the stakes following a maiden special weight win at Aqueduct. Moonage Daydream has earned $111,870.

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