Vedareo runs away with Sorority Stakes

Trainer Robert “Butch” Reid had a strong feeling the two-turn Sorority Stakes over the Monmouth Park dirt track would better suit the filly he trains, Vedareo, than had the Schuylerville, a sprint stakes run over the deep Saratoga surface on opening day of that meet.

Reid was right. After getting off to a lousy start in the Schuylerville, Vedareo bumped mildly at the start of the Sorority, made a clear lead, and never looked back, drawing off to a six-length victory.

Alma Rosa was a clear second, nearly three lengths in front of longshot Outofnothingatall, who nabbed third in a spread-out field. Devious Dame, sharp winner of her first two races and the 2-5 favorite, never looked comfortable, lagging at the rear of the field and going nowhere when put to pressure by jockey Joe Talamo more than a half-mile out. She finished sixth, essentially eased across the line one length in front of Riding Pretty, who stumbled badly at the start.

Up front, Vedareo got increasingly comfortable when allowed to control splits of 23.59 and 47.16.

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“I wanted to be on the lead, or at least be clear, because when she sees other horses, she can be very strong,” winning jockey Frankie Pennington said. “So, the thing for me was to get the lead or sit somewhere clear where she could relax. First time going long today she was a little keen early, but she relaxed on the backside and finished strong.”

Pennington had ridden Vedareo to a debut win going just 4 1/2 furlongs at Parx Racing. Joel Rosario was aboard when the filly finished seventh in the Schuylerville.

“She got slammed that race, didn’t get off great, and didn’t handle it at all,” Reid said. “That was the first day of the Saratoga meet and the track was very deep that day. That’s never going to be her favorite surface. Today it looked like she rated, so I’m hoping the more two-turn races we get in her the more we’ll get her to relax.”

Vedareo stopped the timer in 1:38.43 for one mile on a fast track. She paid $20.80 to win.

Vedareo, a Swilcan Stables homebred, is by Daredevil out of Vero Amore, by Mineshaft, making her a sister to 2020 2-year-old filly champion Vequist.

“Phyiscally, she looks amazingly like [Vequist]. She even caught me by surprise today in the paddock,” Reid said. “She looked bigger in the stall than she has before. She is really growing nicely and handling her weight nicely. After that debacle in Saratoga, I couldn’t be happier.”

Reid said he had no set plans for Vedareo. Vequist during the fall of her 2-year-old season finished second in the Frizette at Belmont before winning the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies at Keeneland – site of the 2022 Breeders’ Cup.