A primary concern for the coach of a promising two-year-old is distance and how far the youngster can sustain his speed.
Butch Reid Jr. had none of those fears with Swilcan Stable's two-year-old filly Vedareo . Memories from a few years ago convinced him of her abilities on a route.
In Vedareo, Reid trains a half-sister to his horse of his life. Vequist Swilcan's home-bred daughter of Nyquist which gave him his only Grade 1 Breeders' Cup victory when she captured the 2020 Juvenile Fillies (G1) by 1 1/16 miles and was named champion 2-year-old fillies.
Reid's beliefs have already proven wise in her third start Daredevil Filly won the Sorority Stakes over a mile at Monmouth Park August 21 in a two-turn configuration.
“Even the smaller ones in the family were two-turn horses and Vedareo’s mother (Vero Amore) was a two-turn horse who lost by one (neck) in the Black-Eyed Susan (G2). It's definitely in the family tree. Distance will be.” “No problem for them,” Reid said.
Sign in Blood horse Daily
The homebred filly will follow the same path as her eminent sister, competing against six rivals in the $400,000 Frizette Stakes (G1) for 2-year-old fillies on October 2nd Belmont at aqueduct meetthe same mile-long “Win and You're In” race in which Vequist finished second before her Breeders' Cup triumph.
“She went through the sorority well and we are now looking forward to the Frizette,” Reid said. “We put the two-corner race into them. Now we can ponderous down a bit, hopefully enhance her speed and perhaps secure a free win-and-you're-in spot for the Breeders' Cup. We’re looking forward to it.” I see them against the huge girls.
Reid says the two sisters are already similar in many ways.
“They are largely the same, although Vedareo is a little more nervous and more invested in her training,” Reid said. “They have the same mentality in racing and they both get along well.”
Vequist wins the 2020 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies at Keeneland
Both siblings have already followed similar paths and made their debut at Parx Racing and Vequist finished second and Vedareo won. Then they both moved on Saratoga Racetrack for a stake operation, although the results were as different as night and day. Vequist won by a whopping 9 1/2 lengths in the Spinaway Stakes (G1), while Vedareo wobbled at the break and was bumped in the Schuylerville Stakes (G3). Unable to demonstrate her early speed, she finished 10 1/2 lengths behind in fifth place.
“In general, Parx horses had trouble at Saratoga because the track is so deep there,” Reid said. “I don’t think she was fit enough for Schuylerville. She had galloped on her debut and trained with Parx, and she couldn't support herself by stumbling out of the gate. I was shocked to see her so far back.”
Following an vintage playbook, Reid chose the one-lap Frizette on Oct. 7 over the longer, two-lap, 1 1/16-mile Darley Alcibiades Stakes (G1). KeenelandHome of the 2022 Breeders' Cup.
“We thought about Keeneland, but it works much better in Fresh York,” Reid said. “From Parx we are very close and can come on race day. I think she will do well with Aqueduct and that path has worked out well for her sister and we hope we have the same magic.”
Vedareo comes from a family of six foals with five runners and five winners and is also a half-sister to the three-year-old filly Mainstay a daughter of Aft who finished second at the 2021 Schuylerville and is currently sidelined. Swilcan and Reid have already received numerous rewards from a mare purchased for just $15,000 earning $252,255, but unfortunately the success story has only a few chapters left. Vero Amore passed away earlier this year and left behind one Accelerate the last offspring was a one-year-old filly.
“You don’t see many like her,” Reid said of Vero Amore. “We really miss her. She was a great mare; definitely a Blue Hen mare.”
Vedareo will need a performance worthy of her winning sister on Sunday against a talented group of rivals.
Leave no trace was a convincing 1 1/2-length winner of the seven-eighth-long Spinaway for trainer Phil Serpe as a daughter of Home work won in a manner that bodes well for her chances of tackling another furlong with confidence.
“She came out of the Spinaway great and did an exceptional job last week,” Serpe said of the Red Cloak Farm-bred filly who sold for $40,000 from Vinery Sales consignment in the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern Fall Yearling Purchased on sale. “She has worked well with herself and we are really looking forward to the start on Sunday.”
The field also includes American Rockette (American Pharaoh ), who finished a troubled fourth and four first place winners in the Spinaway Raging sea (Lure ), Chocolate gelato (Practical joke ), The huge maybe (upstart ) and the one bred in Fresh York You are my girl (Overanalyze ).
Repole Stable's Chocolate Gelato is coming off an 8 1/2-length win at Saratoga, covering six furlongs in 1:10.30 for trainer Todd Pletcher, earning the best Beyer Speed figure in the field (92).
Chocolate Gelato makes her first race at Saratoga Race Course
Entries: Frisette S. (G1)
Belmont at Gigantic A, Sunday October 2, 2022, Race 8
- Class I
- 1m
- dirt
- $400,000
- 2 year vintage filly
- 4:41 p.m. (local)
