Vasilika Reigns Supreme Over Santa Anita Turf in Gamely

When Hall of Fame trainer Jerry Hollendorfer and owner George Todaro made the decision in early 2018 to claim a mildly successful, then 4-year-old daughter of Skipshot  for $40,000 from Santa Anita Park, no one could have predicted the payoff that would follow. 

Now 477 days, 14 starts, seven graded victories, and $1,232,328 in earnings since she entered Hollendorfer's barn, Vasilika has proven to be one of the most lucrative investments on the racetrack in recent memory. 

With a perfectly-timed late run that sent her sailing past the wire in the May 27 $500,000 Gamely Stakes (G1T), Vasilika cemented her title as reigning queen of the Santa Anita Park turf and picked up her fourth graded stakes win of the season. 

"She's very professional and always liked being in our barn," Hollendorfer said. "I'm happy to have her that's for sure." 

With regular rider Flavien Prat in the irons, Vasilika bobbled uncharacteristically from the break but righted herself, settling just off the pace in fifth between Rymska on the rail and Causeforcommotion on the outside. Longshot Ahimsa established the early lead, angling in on the rail for a one-length advantage over Streak of Luck. 

With the half-mile gone in :48.52 and Ahimsa still in the lead by a head as six furlongs went in 1:12.12, Prat briefly pulled back on Vasilika, dropping back to sixth before shifting wide to find a better position on the outside. Gaining slowly, but still running well behind the front runners at the top of the stretch, Vasilika finally found her opening four-wide down the lane and gave chase. 

Fighting back from her spot on the rail, Ahimsa tried to maintain command but was found wanting. Rallying hard under brisk urging from Prat and stalked closely by Rymska to her inside, Vasilika ran down the leader and prevailed by a length at the wire.

"Prat didn't like where she was so he let her drift back a little bit," Hollendorfer said. "He didn't like being in between horses, so luckily for us, once she saw daylight, she still had that big turn of foot.He knows she has a big turn of foot so that's why he thought he could get away with that. She has the turn of foot that most horses don't have, but anyway, she continues to do it." 

Final time for the 1 1/8-mile turf test was 1:48.07. Rymska took second followed by Ahimsa in third. Last out winner of the March 30 Santa Anita Stakes (G3T) Elysea's World got up for fourth followed by Meal Ticket, Streak of Luck, Ollie's Candy, and Causeforcommotion to complete the order of finish. 

"I knew we would be fairly close to the lead," said Prat. "I took hold of her on the last turn and took her outside. She does everything I ask of her. I'm just a lucky man. This filly knows how to win. She knows what to do. It is quite amazing to be around her."

Campaigned by Al Schlaich Stables, Hollendorfer, Gatto Racing, and George Todaro, the Gamely marked the second grade 1 victory in 32 lifetime starts for Vasilika, who has missed out on the winner's circle in only one of 12 starts over the Southern California track. Her prior victories for 2019 came in the Jan. 21 Megahertz (G3T), Feb. 23 Buena Vista (G2T), and April 6 Royal Heroine (G2T). She earned her first grade 1 honors in 2018, when she took the Sept. 29 Rodeo Drive Stakes at 1 1/4 miles on the Santa Anita turf. 

"Jerry has kept her going, race after race," Todaro said. "As Jerry says, when they're happy they run better." 

Bred in Kentucky by Mikhail Yanakov, Vasilika is the sixth foal out of the Marquetry mare La Belle Marquet, who has been bred exclusively to Skipshot since 2013 when Yanakov began standing the son of champion Skip Away at Considine Farm in Paris, Ky. 

The mare has a winning 4-year-old colt named Golden Dragon and a filly named Vasilisa who was recently purchased by Ontario Bloodstock for $55,000 from the consignment of Olympia Star to the Keeneland April 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. La Belle Marquet also has a yearling colt by Skipshot and foaled another colt March 17. 

Vasilika improved her record to 17-4-3 and boasts total earnings of $1,358,595. 

Video: Gamely S. (G1T)