Sunday’s $147,000
Vagrancy
H. (G2) for fillies and mares at Belmont Park was billed as the latest round
in the budding rivalry between Game Face (Menifee) and Any Limit (Limit Out),
but the results of the fourth meeting of the year between those two became a
mere afterthought as Mr. and Mrs. William K. Warren Jr.’s CAROLYN’S CAT
(Forestry) soundly defeated the two favorites with a gate-to-wire performance.
Under Alan Garcia, the four-year-old set fractions of :22 2/5 and :45 4/5,
turned back a challenge from the pressing Any Limit at the top of the stretch
and drew off to register a 3 1/4-length triumph in a time of 1:16 1/5 over the
fast track.
The 5-1 fourth choice in a field of five, Carolyn’s Cat returned $13, $6.20
and $4.70. Grade 3 winner Porte Bonheur (Hennessy), making her first start since
November 2, made a ground-saving rally in the stretch to easily grab the place
by 4 1/4 lengths, returning $5.40 and $6 at 9-2. Are We Dreamin (Yes It’s True),
the rank outsider at 22-1, also bested the two favorites by getting up for third
by a half-length. She paid $9. The exacta brought back $84 and the 2-3-1
trifecta was worth $362.
Any Limit, at 7-5, retreated to fourth while Game Face never put in a rally
as the 6-5 choice and trailed. For the record, Any Limit and Game Face have each
beaten the other twice this season.
“She likes some time between her races — the goal is the Ballerina ([G1] at
Saratoga on August 29), so we’ll look for something in between,” winning trainer
Kiaran McLaughlin said.
Carolyn’s Cat broke her maiden in her third and final start of 2007, then ran
first or second in four stakes appearances in 2008. She earned wins in the
Cicada S. (G3) and T Storm S. while filling the runner-up slot in the Nassau
County S. (G3) and Ruthless S. Off nearly 11 months following the Nassau County,
Carolyn’s Cat ran fourth in the March 27 Missy’s Mirage S. then second in the
May 6 Elizabeth Bay S. prior to the Vagrancy. Her record now stands at 10-4-3-0,
$304,415.
Carolyn’s Cat was produced by People’s Princess (Meadowlake), who captured
the Rare Treat H. (G3) at Aqueduct during her racing career. People’s Princess
has also produced Carolyn’s Cat’s two-year-old full sister Forest Valentine, a
yearling colt named Ordained (Pulpit) and a 2009 filly named Sovereign Song
(Unbridled’s Song). Carolyn’s Cat was purchased for $650,000 at the 2006
Fasig-Tipton Saratoga August sale.