Vegas Magic ($31.40) outlasts Procrastination in Sorrento Stakes

DEL MAR, Calif. – It’s a good thing trainer Doug O’Neill decided to run three fillies in the Sorrento Stakes, because he needed most the one whom the bettors liked least.

Vegas Magic, at 14-1 the highest price of the O’Neill trio, wore down odds-on favorite Procrastination in the final furlong to win the Grade 2, $200,500 race at Del Mar for 2-year-old fillies, with O’Neill’s other two runners, 4-1 Satin Doll and 5-2 Absolutely Zero, finishing fourth and absolutely last, respectively.

Vegas Magic remained unbeaten in three starts. She defeated maidens on debut June 11 at Santa Anita at 7-10, then went to Pleasanton and beat males in the Everett Nevin on July 9, favored there at 13-10. Yet she was an outsized price in the Sorrento, more than twice her seemingly sensible 6-1 morning line.

Assistant trainer Leandro Mora, who deputized for O’Neill in the winner’s circle, candidly said he thought Absolutely Zero was the barn’s best chance.

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“One-hundred percent,” he said. “But this filly is gusty. The way she won at Pleasanton, the way she did it against colts, we expected she’d give us a good race.”

Perhaps not this good, though. But Vegas Magic ($31.40) benefitted from an ideal ride from Abel Cedillo, who followed the leaders while saving ground, came around a weakened Procrastination at the top of the lane, and proved best through the stretch. Vegas Magic completed six furlongs on the fast main track in 1:11.46, getting a 72 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort.

Procrastination, the 7-10 favorite, did not waste time leaving from her inside stall, and set the early pace with outside pressure from Dazzlingdominika. She got the best of that rival, but couldn’t hold safe the winner. Vegas Magic won by 1 1/4 lengths over Procrastination, who finished 3 1/2 lengths in front of third-place Dazzlingdominika.

Satin Doll clunked up for fourth, then came Classymademoiselle and Absolutely Zero. Infinite Diamond was scratched in favor of a maiden race on Sunday, leaving a field of six.

Vegas Magic, by Good Magic out of the Rockport Harbor mare Heidi Maria, is owned by Omar Aldabbagh, Todd Cady, and Ty Leatherman. Vegas Magic earned $120,000 on Saturday and now has career earnings of $205,200.

She is likely to make her next start in the Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante on Sept. 10.