Vasilika rallies to take Buena Vista Stakes

ARCADIA, Calif. – Vasilika won a graded stakes for the fifth time in her last six starts in Saturday’s Grade 2 Buena Vista Stakes at Santa Anita on a poignant day for Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer.

Saturday morning, the Hollendorfer-trained Battle of Midway was euthanized after suffering a leg injury in a workout. Battle of Midway, third in the Kentucky Derby and the winner of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile in 2017, was being prepared for the $12 million Dubai World Cup in the United Arab Emirates on March 30.

Vasilika ($3.60) closed from seventh to win the $201,404 Buena Vista Stakes by 1 1/2 lengths over 53-1 Streak of Luck, the longest shot in a field of nine. Vasilika ran a mile on turf in 1:33.35 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 94.

“She’s one of our favorites and comes through every time, it seems like,” Hollendorfer said. “You need her to keep the morale up.”

Ridden by Flavien Prat, Vasilika trailed runaway leader Fahan Mura by about 10 lengths midway through the race, through a half-mile fraction of 45.48 seconds. Prat positioned Vasilika on the outside of rivals on the turn and got a solid response to reduce Fahan Mura’s advantage.

“I was comfortable with where I was,” Prat said. “I felt like we were rolling.

“I could see by the three-eighths pole we were moving good and we would be able to catch her.”

Fahan Mura faded from contention in the stretch. Ms Bad Behavior led by a half-length with a furlong remaining, but could not sustain the advantage against Vasilika, who took the lead with a sixteenth of a mile remaining.

“As soon as I switched my stick to the left hand, she made a good move,” Prat said.

Streak of Luck, the winner of an allowance race at a mile on turf on Jan. 25 for trainer Matt Chew, closed from eighth to finish a clear second under jockey Tyler Baze, 1 1-4 lengths in front of 7-1 Ms Bad Behavoir.

“That other filly is tough,” Chew said of Vasilika. “I’ve got no complaints.”

Take These Chains finished fourth, followed by Amandine, Elysea’s World, English Dancer, Compelled, and Fahan Mura.

The first two finishers are former claimers. Vasilika, a 5-year-old mare by Skipshot, was claimed for $40,000 in February 2018. She has since won 10 of 12 starts and earned $789,529 for the partnership of Mark Schlaich, Gatto Racing, George Todaro and Hollendorfer.

Vasilika’s five graded stakes wins include the Grade 1 Rodeo Drive Stakes here in September and the Grade 3 Megahertz Stakes at a mile on Jan. 21 in her 2019 debut.

Streak of Luck won a $50,000 claiming race for California-bred maidens as a 2-year-old in October, 2017, her only appearance in a claiming race in 17 starts. Owned by Gino Roncelli, Streak of Luck has been with Chew throughout her career.

Vasilika and Streak of Luck may have a rematch in the Grade 3 Santa Ana Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on turf on March 30.