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Dubai Escapade wires Vagrancy Darley Stable's DUBAI ESCAPADE (Awesome Again) fulfilled bettors' expectations Sunday when opening a commanding lead in the stretch of the $150,000 Vagrancy H. (G2) at Belmont Park and going on to win by six lengths. Sent to the early lead by jockey Edgar Prado, the 3-5 favorite set the pace along the rail through splits of :22, :44 3/5 and 1:08 4/5 while battling with Smokey Glacken (Forestry). The latter made a run at the leader exiting the turn and looked like she would take over the race, but began looking uncomfortable in the stretch which allowed Dubai Escapade to open up a six-length margin at the wire, completing 6 1/2 furlongs in 1:15 1/5 on the fast track. "She's a super fast filly," said winning trainer Eoin Harty. "She's done nothing wrong for us. Today, she went to the lead like she always does and they couldn't catch her. We're going to take a look at a race at Calder for her (July 15 Princess Rooney H. [G1]) or the (August 27) Ballerina ([G1] at Saratoga)." Dubai Escapade returned $3.50, $2.70 and $2.30 for her efforts and led a $36.40 exacta and $138 (6-4-1) trifecta. High Button Shoes (Carson City) recovered from a troubled start and dug in gamely to pass rivals to get up for second to pay $8.80 and $3.90 at 21-1. Magnolia Jackson (Cape Canaveral) raced wide throughout and closed to just miss second by a head, giving back $4 for the show at 10-1. Grecian Lover (Friendly Lover) crossed under the wire in fourth with Smokey Glacken and Leave Me Alone (Bold Badgett) rounding out the order of finish. "I thought I was going to be sitting third," Prado said, "but she broke so fast and nobody really wanted the lead. She was just cruising along; she's got so much natural speed. Smokey Glacken ran at her and (Dubai Escapade) picked it up again." Bred in Kentucky by Needham/Betz Thoroughbreds and James Blackburn, the four-year-old filly is out of the multiple stakes-winning mare Sassy Pants (Saratoga Six) and is a half-sister to 2004 Ashland S. (G1) winner Madcap Escapade (Hennessy), who captured last year's Princess Rooney H. (G2), as well as an unnamed yearling colt by Empire Maker and a 2006 Giant's Causeway filly. Dubai Escapade was purchased for $75,000 as a 2003 Keeneland September yearling and sold for $2 million the next year at the Barretts March Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training. With this victory, Dubai Escapade improves her record to 6-5-0-0, having won the Madison S. (G2) at Keeneland last out, and increases her earnings to $271,050. This was her fifth consecutive win.
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