The bay filly Vegas Magic stalked the pacesetting favorite Procrastination in the six-furlong $200,500 Sorrento Stakes (G2) Aug. 13 at Del Mar, then surged past her at the sixteenth pole and went on to a 1 1/4-length upset. The daughter of Good Magic ran the distance in 1:11.46 under Abel Cedillo and earned a first prize of $120,000.
"I got a perfect trip," Cedillo said. "Soon as I broke with her she took me there and when I got to the stretch, when she switched leads, she just kept going. In the last eighth I'm like: 'Oh, I'm going to get that.
"I would love to see her at one mile next time; she'd be tough."
The win—her third in three tries—pushed her bankroll to $205,200 for trainer Doug O'Neill and owners Omar Aldabbagh, Todd Cady, and Ty Leatherman. She paid $31.40 on a $2 win ticket.
Holding second was Procrastination, who had established fractions at :22.43, :45.43 and :58.29. Finishing third was Dazzlingdominika .
The winner, bred in Kentucky by Machmer Hall, is out of the stakes-winning Rockport Harbor mare Heidi Maria . She is among her four winners from six starters and eight foals. The dam also has a yearling Kantharos filly and foaled a Sharp Azteca filly this year.
Vegas Magic was a $100,000 purchase by her trainer from the Wavertree Stables consignment at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March 2022 2-Year-Olds In Training Sale.