Vagrancy: Bear Fan sets track record

Bear Fan put in an eye-catching performance to win the $150,000 by nine lengths in track-record time. The win might have earned Bear Fan a trip to Lone Star Park for the $1 million Breeders' Cup Sprint on Oct. 30.

The Grade 2 Vagrancy was Bear Fan's fourth consecutive win in a stakes this year.

Ridden by John Velazquez, Bear Fan, the 3-5 favorite, was unchallenged on the early lead in the 6 1/2-furlong Vagrancy and clicked off swift fractions of 21.99 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 44.68 for the half-mile.

The rest of the field gave chase, but couldn't keep pace with Bear Fan. Smok'n Frolic, the second choice, finished second. Aspen Gal finished third, 1 1/4 lengths behind Smok'n Frolic

Bear Fan ($3.50) covered the distance in 1:14.46 over a fast track. The previous track record, set by Confide in October 1997, was 1:14.51.

Trainer Wesley Ward said he plans to point Bear Fan to the $500,000 Princess Rooney at Calder on July 10 and then to the $150,000 Rancho Bernardo at Del Mar on Aug. 21. His ultimate goal is the Breeders' Cup Sprint.

In the days leading up to the Vagrancy, Ward was very confident in Bear Fan, whose has been saddled with foot problems throughout her career.

"She was just coming out her skin and she showed it today," Ward said. "[Velazquez] had all the confidence in her."

Velazquez said he was merely along for the ride.

"I didn't have to do too much on her," Velazquez said. "I just let her do her own thing. I didn't realize she was going that fast because it felt like she was walking."