V.I.P. Code ($74.40) surprises in Private Terms

V.I.P. Code bounced back from a subpar performance over a wet track in his last start to post a $74.40 upset over six fellow 3-year-olds in the $100,000 Private Terms Stakes at Laurel Park on Saturday.

A long-striding son of City Zip, V.I.P. Code is owned and was bred by the Everest Stables of Jeff Neilsen. V.I.P. Code's best prior race came when he finished second on turf in the $100,000 Awad at Aqueduct in October.

In his most recent start, V.I.P. Code finished a well-beaten fifth over a "good" track in the one-mile Miracle Wood Stakes at Laurel in February. After his victory in the 1 1/16-mile Private Terms, trainer Phil Schoenthal gave all the credit to Nielsen.

"I didn’t want to run today," Schoenthal said. "I wanted to wait for a grass race, but Jeff said let's do it."

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Schoenthal said he and Nielsen would discuss where to run V.I.P. Code next but that the $125,000 Federico Tesio, a 1 1/8-mile race at Laurel on April 21, would be a logical spot. The Tesio is a Win and You're In for the Preakness.

Roaming Union, who broke inward at the start while next to 3-5 favorite Still Having Fun, set a realistic pace of 23.63 and 47.43 while being tracked by Forest Fire and V.I.P. Code. When Roaming Union tired at the top of the stretch, he was replaced by those two, with V.I.P. Code proving strongest in the final furlong to score by three-quarters of a length.

V.I.P. Code was timed in 1:44.62. The second-longest shot in the field earned an 83 Beyer Speed Figure.

Forest Fire held second by three-quarters of a length over the late-closing 60-1 shot Dynamic Asset. It was another three-quarters of a length back to still Having Fun in fourth.

Still Having Fun broke cleanly but was steadied and bobbled between horses a stride or two from the gate, possibly clipping heels.

He moved up into a contending position behind the leaders on the far turn and had dead aim on V.I.P. Code and Forest Fire in upper stretch. But Still Having Fun lugged in several times and had to be straightened by jockey Feargal Lynch before eventually flattening out.

Diamond King and California Night were scratched Saturday morning. Diamond King came down with a fever, according to trainer John Servis. California Night won the second race Saturday at Aqueduct, an optional claimer, and paid $14.20.