Velora has Frizette on the radar after Seeking the Ante win
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. − Velora followed her smart-looking debut win last month with a solid 2 1/4-length victory in Friday’s $200,000 Seeking the Ante Stakes for New York-bred juvenile fillies at Saratoga that may set her up for a Grade 1 try in the Frizette next month at Belmont Park.
A stalking presence throughout under a patient Jose Ortiz, Velora took over inside the three-sixteenths pole then came out under left-handed encouragement to meet the competition while pulling away.
Prime Aurora, who finished third and fifth in two open company stakes earlier in the meet, chased Velora home and finished second by 3 3/4 lengths over B Yutiful Carly. Saint Dymphna, the pace-setting Cachorrita, You Are My Suzie Q, and Tiara completed the order of finish.
“It was a great trip, she broke much sharper today stalking the horse on the lead, I thought we were in a great spot,” winning trainer Linda Rice said. “I thought [Prime Aurora and B Yutiful Carly] were the real contenders. I could see they were making a run at her, I was hoping that Jose Ortiz knew that. I said ‘He’s a professional he must know’ so I was glad when he asked her to run and finish up.”
Ortiz said that it takes a little while for Velora to get going “so I take it little by little. Before the quarter pole, I tried to get it together and get her on the bridle and she was responding very nicely to every command I gave her.”
Velora, a daughter of Yaupon, owned by Winning Move Stable, Sabby Racing, IEE Racing, Sanford Robbins, and Silverwood Stables, covered the six furlongs in 1:10.56 and returned $3.30 as the favorite.
Rice said she ran Velora in the Seeking the Ante to try and get her some more experience before stepping into open company. The Grade 1, $500,000 Frizette on Oct. 3 is a potential next spot for Velora.
“I think we will pencil the Frizette in and point towards that and see what happens,” Rice said.
For Ortiz, the win was his 66th of the Saratoga meet − at the time tying him with Flavien Prat for most wins − and his ninth stakes on his last day riding in Saratoga. He was to spend the holiday weekend riding at Kentucky Downs.
“Amazing meet,” Ortiz said. “I can’t complain. You got big expectations always when you come in here, to leave today in the position that we are I think it was very remarkable meet and we’re very happy with it.”
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