Vasilika rallies to win graded stakes debut in John C. Mabee

DEL MAR, Calif. – For $40,000 in February, Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer claimed the 4-year-old Vasilika on behalf of a partnership.

“We were just looking for a horse,” Hollendorfer said.

Vasilika has developed into so much more. She is likely to be the claim of the year in California.

Saturday at Del Mar, Vasilika won her sixth consecutive race, and her graded stakes debut, in the Grade 2 John Mabee Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles on turf. The win was worth $120,000 for the team of All Schlaich Stables, Gatto Racing, George Todaro and Hollendorfer, who is part of the partnership.

Vasilika has earned $291,528 since being claimed.

In the $202,070 Mabee Stakes, Vasilika rallied four wide under jockey Flavien Prat to reach the front in the final furlong. Clear in the final strides, Vasilika ($10.40) won by 1 1/2 lengths over 4-5 favorite Cambodia, who raced in traffic on the backstretch and finished well.

Hollendorfer deferred credit for the win to Prat, who has ridden Vasilika through the streak, which began on April 1.

“He’s been great on the grass course,” Hollendorfer said. “We thought he’d be in a good spot. He kept her out of trouble.”

Vasilika, the second choice in a field of 11, was timed in 1:47.25. She earned a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 97.

Prat said he paused briefly aboard Vasilika on the turn before finding sufficient running room entering the stretch.

“I was waiting for the opening,” Prat said. “She gave me a great kick, like she always does.”

Cambodia won the 2017 Mabee and the Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon Handicap on Aug. 4, for the second consecutive year. Jockey Drayden Van Dyke had Cambodia in ninth in the first half-mile, trailing Vasilika. Cambodia closed well, but not fast enough to catch the winner.

“The other filly fought gamely,” Van Dyke said of Vasilika. “I would have liked to have been a little closer. That’s turf racing.”

Cambodia finished a neck in front of Fahan Mura, who set the pace before fading from contention in the final furlong. Meal Ticket finished fourth, followed by Sophie P, Achira, The Tulip, Madame Stripes, Midnight Crossing, Cheekaboo, and Vagabond Princess.

Cordiality and Storm the Hill were withdrawn on Saturday morning.

Vasilika, a 4-year-old filly by Skipshot, won a $32,000 claimer at Aqueduct last November, the day she was claimed by trainer Robert Falcone. For the Santa Anita winter-spring meeting, Falcone brought a small stable to California. He lost Vasilika to Hollendorfer in the filly’s first California start.

Aside from the Mabee, Vasilika’s winning streak includes two starter handicaps, and three allowance races with optional claiming values ranging from $40,000 to $100,000.

In her career, Vasilika has won 11 of 25 starts and earned $440,595.