Vequist romps to maiden win in Spinaway Stakes
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – When Adam Wachtel discussed with his business partner Gary Barber trying to purchase Vequist privately, he did so with the intention of running the maiden 2-year-old filly in a graded stakes for her next start.
“I never even thought about a maiden race,” Wachtel said.
Wachtel’s assessment that Vequist – who was beaten a nose in a 4 1/2-furlong maiden race at Parx Racing in July – was among the fastest 2-year-old fillies in the country was borne out Sunday at Saratoga when the daughter of Nyquist galloped to a 9 1/2-length victory in the Grade 1, $250,000 Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga.
Esplanande, previously undefeated in three starts, finished second by 1 1/2 lengths over Lady Lilly. Irish Constitution was fourth, followed by Guana Cay. Beautiful Memories, the even-money favorite, was eased for the second time this meet.
“She was just faster than these,” Wachtel said.
Vequist gave trainer Robert “Butch” Reid his second career Grade 1 stakes victory at Saratoga. His first came in the 2012 Alfred G. Vanderbilt with Poseidon’s Warrior, who, like Vequist was owned by Thomas McGrath’s Swilcan Stables.
McGrath bred Vequist and was the sole owner of her when she debuted at Parx, beaten a nose by Niente going 4 1/2 furlongs. The number came back very fast on speed figures, and Wachtel and Barber bought 75 percent of the filly, with McGrath staying in for 25 percent. The filly remained with Reid.
Though Reid said he would have targeted a maiden race, he wasn’t against running in the Spinaway because it was a seven-furlong race and he knew the filly wanted more ground.
“I ran her in the 4 1/2-furlong race, it was more or less getting a race under her belt,” Reid said. “She was going to be looking for longer things down the road.”
In the Spinaway, Vequist didn’t break great, but jockey Luis Saez quickly got her into second, stalking Esplanande, who, under Junior Alvarado, set fractions of 22.41 seconds for the quarter and 44.87 for the half.
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Vequist took the lead turning for home and in the final three-sixteenths she really ran away.
“When we got to the three-eighths, I had a lot of horse and when we came to the stretch she took off,” Saez said.
Vequist covered the seven furlongs in 1:22.29 and returned $15.20 as the co- fourth choice.
“I probably would have run her in a maiden race if it was totally my call,” Reid said. “Adam really liked this race, and I’m glad he did.”
Wachtel said Vequist would be considered for both the Grade 1 Alcibiades on Oct. 2 at Keeneland and the Grade 1 Frizette on Oct. 10 at Belmont.
Meanwhile, Beautiful Memories for the second time this meet was eased as the favorite in a graded stakes. Jockey Jose Ortiz pulled her at the quarter pole of the Grade 3 Schuylerville, a race in which she was the 1-2 favorite, on July 16. Sunday, he basically eased her after she dropped back to last midway around the turn.
“She stumbled a little bit out of the gate again today,” Ortiz said. “I was able to put her where I wanted to – I rushed her a little bit – but then she grabbed the bit really nice along the backside. When she hit the turn, she switched leads and she hit a wall. I don’t know what’s going on, why she was backing up so bad.”
Beautiful Memories was put on the vet’s list following the Schuylerville but worked satisfactorily since then to be permitted to run Sunday. State steward Braulio Baeza said Beautiful Memories, as the beaten favorite, was sent to the test barn following the Spinaway to have blood and urine samples taken to see if anything can explain what caused her to stop running for a second consecutive race.