Vasilika Seeks Another Streak in Buena Vista
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Photo: BENOIT PHOTO
Vasilika wins the Megahertz Stakes at Santa Anita Park
The lure of the sale is hard to pass up, especially for a horse like Vasilika.
A $40,000 claim in February of 2018, what the daughter of Skipshot went on to achieve was the Cinderella story of the season. She finished second in her first allowance start for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer and her new connections, but after that collected eight straight victories—including consecutive graded scores in the John C. Mabee (G2T), Rodeo Drive (G1T), and Goldikova (G2T).
She was entered into the Keeneland November Sale catalog, and it would have been easy to turn what was already a home run of a claim into a grand slam at the sale, but her ownership group pulled her out.
"It was definitely tempting—it really was—but you can't just replace a horse like her," said Nick Gatto of Gatto Racing, who owns the now 5-year-old mare in partnership with All Schlaich Stables, Hollendorfer, and George Todaro. "When we talked about scratching her out of the sale, we knew we were going to carefully map out the 2019 season. Everybody is on the same page—be very cautious and selective this year."
Providing proof she was not invincible, in her next race, the streak ended. Vasilika finished fourth in the Dec. 2 Matriarch (G1T), but came back to win the Megahertz (G3T) impressively at Santa Anita Park Jan. 21 and will look to build another streak Feb. 23 in the $200,000 Buena Vista Stakes (G2T) back at Santa Anita.
ANGST: Vasilika Continues Winning Ways in Megahertz Stakes
But every race forward will be different for Gatto, who is now without his father and business partner, Dan Gatto.
Two days before the Megahertz, Dan died from a heart attack while on a golf course in La Quinta, Calif. He was 63, had just retired from his career as a Certified Public Accountant, and was excited to get more involved in racing. The family partnership that was Gatto Racing lost its patriarch, and Nick couldn't bring himself to go watch the Megahertz in person because Vasilika wasn't just his horse. She was their horse.
"The wound was still too fresh," he said.
If not for his father, Nick probably wouldn't be involved in racing. Once an emergency medical technician, Nick, now 34, went off to work for Taylor Made in Kentucky, then for Jenny Craig's Rancho Paseana, and as a groom for trainer Matt Chew—all because he was inspired by his father's interest in the game.
"He claimed a horse with his old college buddies, and I was working as an EMT in San Marcos at the time. I was in the back of an ambulance reading the Racing Form more than my medical books," Nick said. "Once it bites you, that's it."
On vacation with his family in Idaho, Nick will miss the Buena Vista in person, but said he will not miss another one of Vasilika's races.
"It was a father-and-son business and team, so to lose a partner and father and friend—we're going to do our best to keep Gatto Racing going forward," Nick said.
Santa Anita Park, Saturday, February 23, 2019, Race 8Entries: Buena Vista S. (G2T)
PP
Horse
Jockey
Wgt
Trainer
M/L
1
1Take These Chains (IRE)
Tiago Josue Pereira
120
Brad H. Cox
12/1
2
2Ms Bad Behavior (ON)
Mike E. Smith
120
Richard Baltas
5/1
3
3Zaffinah (IRE)
Rafael Bejarano
120
Jack Carava
12/1
4
4Fahan Mura (PA)
Edwin A. Maldonado
122
Vladimir Cerin
6/1
5
5Compelled (FL)
Joseph Talamo
120
Thomas F. Proctor
12/1
6
6Amandine (GB)
Drayden Van Dyke
120
Jeff Mullins
8/1
7
7English Dancer (KY)
Kent J. Desormeaux
120
Richard Baltas
20/1
8
8Elysea's World (IRE)
Joel Rosario
122
Richard Baltas
4/1
9
9Vasilika (KY)
Flavien Prat
124
Jerry Hollendorfer
8/5
10
10Streak of Luck (CA)
Tyler Baze
120
Matthew Chew
20/1
