Viva Majorca targets Grade 1 Vanderbilt Stakes

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Trainer Ian Wilkes says he thinks Viva Majorca can be a force in the sprint division during the second half of the season. He will get his first opportunity to find out if his theory is correct here at Saratoga on Aug. 1 when Viva Majorca tries Grade 1 sprint competition for the first time in the six-furlong Alfred G. Vanderbilt Stakes.

Viva Majorca has had previous Grade 1 experience at Saratoga, finishing sixth while beaten only eight lengths in the 2014 Travers. But the 4-year-old Viva Majorca has become exclusively a sprinter this season, having won two of his last three starts, including the seven-furlong Kelly’s Landing at Churchill Downs, were he rallied from nearly a dozen lengths off the pace to a half-length victory on June 27.

“We always thought he had the potential to be a pretty nice horse and I think he’s finally starting to get it together right now,” said Wilkes. “I believe he can turn out to be a really good sprinter the rest of the year, and I guess we’re going to stick our toe into the water and see where he fits in the Vanderbilt.”

Viva Majorca took another step towards the Vanderbilt when he worked five furlongs in 1:02.01 over a cuppy racetrack, finishing a length in front of stablemate Bird Maker, here Wednesday. The team got some unexpected company when joining in and finishing with the Peter Pugh-trained Elroi, who had broken off in front of the duo at the half-mile pole.

Several minutes later, Wilkes sent out Neck N Neck to work a half-mile in 50.17 seconds and gallop out five-eighths in 1:03.35. Neck ‘n Neck finished a well-beaten fourth behind Effinex in the Grade 2 Suburban and remains winless since capturing the Grade 3 Ack Ack at Churchill in November 2012. His most notable victory had come four weeks earlier in the Grade 2 Indiana Derby.

“He may not be the same horse he was now that he’s a 6-year-old, but he did run a couple of big races earlier this year finishing second in the Ben Ali and third in the Alysheba,” said Wilkes, referring to a pair of graded stakes in Kentucky.. “I’m not sure yet where I’ll run him next. I’d like to find a softer spot to try to get him his confidence back and there is a restricted stakes at Saratoga in early August which could be a possibility.”

Wilkes will try to win himself another Indiana Derby on Saturday with his up-and- coming 3-year-old prospect Island Town, a winner of his last two starts, including the Grade 3 Matt Winn in game fashion over Fame and Power.

“This horse continues developing after taking a long time to come around this winter,” said Wilkes. “I thought taking him to Indiana was the logical spot. The money is good, the timing is perfect, and it seemed best just to keep him home in Kentucky and go straight to Indiana rather than bring him to Saratoga right now. He can always come later if we think he warrants the chance.”