BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Florida-bred Dorth Vader, who was a courageous fourth after a disastrous trip in the Grade 1 Fasig-Tipton La Troienne at Churchill Downs on May 2, looks for better luck when she tries her second Grade 1 this year in the $500,000 Ogden Phipps at Saratoga Race Course Friday. Seven fillies and mares, 4-years-old and older are set for the mile-and-one-eighth Ogden Phipps.
Ridden by John Velazquez from the inside post in the La Troienne, Dorth Vader was banged around in the clubhouse turn then shut off in the stretch by Randomized. However, she continued to fight on in deep stretch to finish fourth, just a length-and-a-half behind winner Raging Sea. Dorth Vader will face both Raging Sea and Randomized again Friday.
“We had a really good shot to win the La Troienne and Randomized sort of closed that out,” John Ropes, the owner and breeder of Dorth Vader said from Saratoga Thursday. “Johnny Velazquez said in his mind she was going to win and Randomized came over and took her lane. So he had to pull out and that cost us because she only lost by a length-and-a-half. And she was just starting to go.
“Hopefully, if we get a clean trip [Friday in the Ogden Phipps], I think we’ll be there.”
Trained by George Weaver, Dorth Vader is making her third start off an 11-month lay-off following her fourth in the 2024 La Troienne.
“We were getting ready to work her on the grass at Saratoga [last year]—which I wanted just to see how she would do,” Ropes said. “George [Weaver] looked at her suspensory and pressed it and it was sore.”
After several scans and visits to veterinarians, no problems were discovered with the suspensory, but some bone bruising was found.
“So we decided to lay her off and take the time with her. [The bone bruise] wouldn’t stop her and she would try very hard but we knew she wouldn’t improve off that. So we treated her for that and did some body work with her and she came back very strong. And this will be her third race back so she’s definitely going to be race ready.”
In her first this year on March 29 at Gulfstream, Dorth Vader was second to Grand Job in a second level, $62,500 optional claiming going a mile.
“She’s coming into the race probably the best she’s ever been,” Ropes said.
“She’s older, she’s mature. [The trouble in the La Troienne] had to effect her a little bit but it didn’t stop her. We’re very optimistic tomorrow although for the third time in a row we got post position one.
“George thinks she’s as good as he’s seen her. We went and watched her gallop this morning on the Oklahoma training track this morning and she was almost too strong. George said she’s so forward, she knows she’s getting ready for a race. We have the blinkers off like we did in the last race. If we get a clean trip, I think we’ll do quite well.”
Dorth Vader has won four with two seconds and a third in 14 starts with earnings of $618,218. A graded stakes winner of the 2023 Davona Dale presented by FanDuel TV (G2) at Gulfstream Park, Dorth Vader was then fourth in the Gulfstream Park Oaks presented by FanDuel TV (G2) and fifth in the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1).
She is by Girvin out of Hardcore Candy, by Yonaguska.
Velazquez gets the return mount from post one and Dorth Vader is 10-1 on the morning line.
Raging Sea is the 5-2 morning line favorite for trainer Chad Brown.
The La Troienne was her first start of 2025 after finishing second to Thorpedo Anna in the Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Del Mar Thoroughbred Club on Nov. 2. Fourth in last year’s Ogden Phipps, Raging Sea then won the Shuvee (G2) and Personal Ensign at Saratoga before taking the Beldame (G2) during the Belmont at Big A meet in October.
Raging Sea has won eight with two seconds and a third from 18 starts while earning $2,145,318 for owner Alpha Delta Stables LLC.
Raging Sea is by Curlin and has drawn post four. Flavien Prat, who has ridden her in 12 of 14 career starts, gets the return mount.
Brown also trains Randomized, who is 9-2 in the program, for Klaravich Stables Inc.
Randomized defends her title in the Ogden Phipps having won the race last year, and was fourth behind Raging Sea in the Personal Ensign in her last start of 2024. The La Troienne was her first race of this year.
Joel Rosario will ride Randomized from post seven and they are 9-2 on the morning line.
Rounding out the field are Dazzling Move with Jose Ortiz named taking the riding assignment, Leslie’s Rose with Irad Ortiz Jr. in the irons, Candied will be guided by Manny Franco and Tarifa and jockey Luis Saez.
Return to the June 5 issue of Wire to Wire
