Vasilika gets up in final stride to win John Mabee Stakes

DEL MAR, Calif. - Briiliant Vasilika caught Juliet Foxtrot in the final stride for her fifth graded stakes win of 2019 in Saturday’s Grade 2 John Mabee Stakes for fillies and mares at Del Mar.

Seventh on the turn, Vasilika ($4) needed every foot of the stretch to catch Juliet Foxtrot, who led by two lengths with a furlong remaining.

“She found a way to get to the wire first,” winning jockey Flavien Prat said.

The slim margin was the first time Vasilika had been in a photo finish since she was claimed for $40,000 in February 2018 by Mark Schlaich, Gatto Racing, George Todaro, and trainer Jerry Hollendorfer.

Vasilika has won eight graded stakes since being claimed, including the 2018 Mabee. In her other stakes wins, she won by at least a half-length.

She became the first repeat winner of the Mabee since Flawlessly won three consecutive runnings from 1992 to 1994 when it was known as the Ramona Handicap.

In Saturday’s $201,755 race, Vasilika raced in mid-pack in the field of 10 to the end of the backstretch, well behind Ippodamia’s Girl, who set a pace of 23.23 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 46.70 for a half-mile.

Juliet Foxtrot (7-2) took the lead from Ippodamia’s Girl at the end of the backstretch under jockey Drayden Van Dyke and quickly opened a lead. Van Dyke said he held off taking the lead on Juliet Foxtrot as long as possible.

“I was getting in her way pulling on her,” Van Dyke said. “I let her kick home.”

Vasilika raced between rivals on the turn before she launched a three-wide wide rally. She trailed by 3 1/2 lengths with an eighth of a mile to go and was carried out briefly by Toinette, who was second at the time.

“It cost me a little bit,” Prat said.

Vasilika was timed in 1:46.46 for 1 1/8 miles on turf. She earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 98, her highest this year. Vasikila ran a career-best 102 when she won the Grade 2 Goldikova Stakes at Santa Anita last November.

“She has a nice turn of foot,” Hollendorfer said.

Van Dyke said a gap between Juliet Foxtrot and Vasilika across the track may have hurt his filly.

“He nailed me,” Van Dyke said of Prat. “He was far out and she didn’t see him.”

Toinette finished third, followed by Paved, Meal Ticket, Elysea’s World, La Force, Ahimsa, Quebec, and Ippodamia’s Girl.
Vasilika, a 5-year-old mare by Skipshot, has won 18 of 34 starts and earned $1,582,595. She has earned $1,353,524 since being claimed.