Belmont: Holiday Disguise tops dynamic Rice entry for G3 Vagrancy

By Najja Thompson & Brian Bohl —-

Stakes winners take aim at Runhappy sprint in Saturday’s undercard

ELMONT, N.Y. – A stellar field of six, highlighted by a formidable pair for trainer Linda Rice with Holiday Disguise and Sounds Delicious, highlights the 68th running of the Grade 3, $300,000 Vagrancy for fillies and mares 4-years-old and up at 6 ½ furlongs on Saturday at Belmont Park.

Kicking off an action-packed graded stakes card on Saturday for Man o’ War Day, the Vagrancy will be joined by the Grade 3, $200,000 Beaugay, Grade 3, $350,000 Peter Pan, the $150,000 Runhappy, and capped by the Grade 1, $750,000 Man o’ War. Television coverage of the Man o’ War stakes action will be featured on Belmont Park Live airing on MSG+, Prime Ticket and Fox Sports San Diego networks from 4 – 7p.m on Saturday.

A 4-year-old daughter of Harlan’s Holiday for Lady Shelia Stable, Holiday Disguise broke her maiden in her second career start before going on to capture an allowance win and a victory in the Bouwerie at Belmont to close out her 2017 campaign.

Making her 2018 debut on February 8 at Aqueduct Racetrack, she dominated in capturing the Biogio’s Rose by 3 ¼ lengths and followed with a win in the Heavenly Prize on March 10. In the Grade 3 Distaff Handicap on April 6 at the Big A, she came off the pace to defeat stablemate Sounds Delicious.

By Yes It’s True, the 4-year-old Sounds Delicious began her career with three straight victories before finishing second by a neck in an optional-claiming race on February 8 at Aqueduct. She returned with back-to-back wins stamped by an eight-length victory in the Correction on March 17 at the Big A. Last time out, in the Distaff, the front-running filly led all the way until caught by Holiday Disguise in the stretch but held on for second by neck.

With a thrilling 1-2 last out in the Distaff, Rice said she is looking for them to improve and move forward for the Vagrancy.
“They both came out of that race really well,” said Rice. “They’ve been training well and so I think they’ll each perform to the best of their ability. They’re kind of a good entry in that one’s a closer and one is a speed horse, so they should complement each other again. We won’t look to change either of their running styles and hope for good trips. They’ll each be ready.”

Holiday Disguise will depart from post 6 with Irad Ortiz, Jr. aboard, while Sounds Delicious will leave from rail with Jose Ortiz in the irons.

Lael Stables’ Chalon, for trainer Arnaud Delacour, enters off a second-place finish in the Primonetta on April 21 to start her 2018 season.

The 4-year-old Dialed In filly won the Jersey Girl by 6 ½ lengths at Belmont last year before going on to run fourth in the Grade 1 Test at Saratoga Race Course and picking up a pair of formidable second-place finishes in the Grade 2 Thoroughbred Club of America and Grade 2 Raven Run.

With Paco Lopez in the irons, the pair will leave from post 3.

Rounding out the field is Kirby’s Penny for owner Kent Spellman and trainer Wesley Ward off an optional-claiming win at Keeneland on April 6; Ascertain for trainer Todd Pletcher and Bortolazzo Stable; and Swing and Sway for trainer Ron Moquett and Westrock Stables, shipping in from Oaklawn Park.

Skyler’s Scramjet will look to capitalize on class relief as part of a field of six in the fifth running of the $150,000 Runhappy, formerly known as the Diablo, for 4-year-olds and up at six furlongs on Big Sandy.

SJB Stable’s and Marcello Micozzi’s Skyler’s Scramjet has registered Beyer Speed Figures in excess of 90 in five of his last six starts, including a 94 in running fourth in the Grade 1 Carter Handicap on April 7 at Aqueduct Racetrack. After closing out his 3-year-old campaign with a 3 ¼-length score in an optional claiming win, for which he earned a personal-best 101 Beyer, the Creative Cause gelding started his 2018 with a win on February 10 before posting his first stakes in in the Grade 3 Tom Fool Handicap on March 10 at the Big A.

Trained by Michelle Nevin, Skyler’s Scramjet will look to go 5-for-5 in six-furlong sprints, breaking from the rail with Trevor McCarthy aboard.

Zayat Stables’ King Kranz will return to stakes company for the first time since running seventh in the 2017 Grade 1 Carter. Back-to-back wins at the Runhappy distance in optional claimers have started his current season in impressive fashion for trainer Rudy Rodriguez. The 5-year-old Munnings progeny has finished off the board just once in four career starts at Belmont and will have the services of jockey Irad Ortiz, Jr. from post 3.

Stonehedge’s Always Sunshine is a graded stakes winner, besting a seven-horse field to win the 2016 Grade 3 Maryland Sprint Handicap. The 6-year-old will be making his first appearance at Belmont since 2016 looking for his first win in four starts for trainer Edward Allard. Kendrick Carmouche will be in the irons from post 5.

Godolphin’s Westwood, who recorded a 105 Beyer in an allowance win on January 20, is 3-2-1 in seven career starts for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. The 4-year-old Bernardini gelding made his stakes debut last out, running fifth in the Grade 3 Commonwealth on April 7 at Keeneland. He will make his first start at Belmont, drawing post 2 in tandem with Hall of Famer John Velazquez.

Great Stuff started his 6-year-old season in pressive fashion, winning the Grade 3 Toboggan on January 27 before running third in both the Tom Fool and the Carter carrying 118 and 116 pounds, respectively. The David Jacobson trainee finished ninth in the Elusive Quality last out on April 28 at Belmont and will ride from post 4 with David Cohen.
Green Gratto, making his 66th career start, will break from post 6 for trainer Gaston Grant. Rajiv Maragh will ride.