Vault goes last to first in winning Ruffian Stakes

The Brad Cox-trained Vault rallied strongly from last under a lovely ride from Joel Rosario to take the Grade 2, $200,000 Ruffian Stakes at Belmont on Sunday.

Vault ($8.80) saved ground while about seven lengths off the lead on the backstretch in the one-turn mile for fillies and mares. Gibberish set fractions of 23.57 and 47.24 while being tracked by Lake Avenue, the 6-5 favorite in the six-horse field.

Rosario angled Vault into the three path for the drive, and she split rivals inside the eighth pole before drawing clear to prevail by 1 3/4 lengths, in a final time of 1:35.81.

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Water White came from third to hold off a wide Our Super Freak for second, as Lake Avenue came up empty and faded to fourth. Lake Avenue was followed by Saguro Row and Gibberish in the Lasix-free event.

Vault, who was coming off an open allowance victory at Oaklawn, earned $110,000 for the partnership of Kueber Racing, Barlar and Madaket Stables.

A 5-year-old Pennsylvania-bred by Jump Start, Vault’s only other stakes score came in the 2019 Thirty Eight Go Go Stakes at Laurel.