Vlahos utilizes stalking trip to win scratch-reduced Clockers' Corner Stakes
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ARCADIA, Calif. – Vlahos took advantage of an ideal trip to win his first stakes against only two rivals in Sunday’s $92,000 Clockers’ Corner Stakes at Santa Anita.
The race was transferred from turf to the main track because of midday rain. With the surface switch, Air Force Red, Gaslight Dancer, Turn On The Jets, and Unconquerable Keen were withdrawn.
Vlahos ($3.80) ran six furlongs on a wet-fast and sealed track in 1:10.18 and earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 82. Ridden by Antonio Fresu and sent off favored, Vlahos tracked 8-5 Mbagnick through early fractions of 21.77 for the opening quarter-mile and 44.44 seconds for a half-mile.
Vlahos was always within a half-length of Mbagnick and challenged that rival with a two-wide bid in early stretch. Mbagnick led by a half-length with a furlong remaining, but could not hold off Vlahos, who won by 1 1/4 lengths. Mbagnick finished 33 lengths in front of 2-1 Hamwood Flier, who was eased when out of contention.
A 5-year-old ridgling, Vlahos won for the second time in his sixth start in the Clockers’ Corner Stakes, which was restricted to nonwinners of a graded stakes since Jan. 1, 2024.
Vlahos was third in the Grade 2 Pat Day Mile at Churchill Downs last May before being rested for the remainder of the spring and the summer. Last fall, Vlahos was winless in three starts, eighth- and sixth-place finishes in sprint allowance races at Santa Anita and Del Mar, and a sixth-place finish in the Zia Park Derby at 1 1/16 miles in New Mexico on Nov. 26.
By Kantharos, Vlahos races for Pappas Horse Racing, Todd Cady, Ty Leatherman, and Dan Northrup and is trained by Doug O’Neill.
The Clockers’ Corner Stakes was the second stakes win of the weekend for O’Neill, who won Saturday’s Grade 2 San Pasqual Stakes at Santa Anita with Katonah.
Vlahos has earned $170,880.
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