Fasig-Tipton Sale Proceeds to Benefit for Charity
BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Florida-bred Dorth Vader put in her final serious preparation for the Saturday’s $2 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (Grade 1) Sunday morning with four-furlong work at Del Mar under exercise rider Raul Munoz.
The 5-year-old daughter of Girvin worked four furlongs in :49 flat, the tenth fastest of 17 works at the distance that morning.
“She broke off a little slow, but she finished up well, so I had the rider let her gallop on out. She got off in 26 and [1/5 seconds] and finished up in 49 and [1/5 seconds], so a strong finish. I was happy with her and the way she cools out. She’s fit, it’s just letting her blow off some mental steam,” trainer George Weaver assistant Blair Golen said.
Dorth Vader drew post 12 of 13 and is the 5-1 third choice on the morning line for the Breeders’ Cup Distaff behind 9-5 program favorite Seismic Beauty and Nitrogen at 4-1.
Dorth Vader enters off a very strong second in the nine-furlong Personal Ensign (G1) at Saratoga on Aug. 23, finishing just a head-bobbing nose behind 2024 Horse of the Year Thorpedo Anna. Thorpedo Anna has since been retired and will not run in the Distaff.
“It feels phenomenal to be here. This was our objective,” owner and breeder John Ropes said about being at Del Mar for the Distaff.
Dorth Vader had just one race last year, finishing fourth in the La Troienne (G1) won by Pretty Mischievous at Churchill Downs in May, but has returned this year to win one of the five starts, the Ogden Phipps presented by Ford (G1) by nearly five lengths at Saratoga on June 6.
“As a 4-year-old, she ran one race and had some issues we had to take care of,” Ropes said. “We gave her time and did everything we needed to do. But we asked, ‘do we bring her back, or do we have her move on to the breeding shed?’ We chose to bring her back, in large part with George’s [Weaver] influence, and we came with the attitude that we wanted to do three things: we wanted to win a Grade 1, which we did, we wanted to pass the million-dollar mark, which we did, and we wanted to come to the Breeders’ Cup. Those were our objectives, and we hit all of them.”
Dorth Vader has earned $1,018,218 from five career wins with three seconds and a third in 17 starts. She out of Hardcore Candy, by Yonaguska and heads to the Fasig-Tipton November Sale in Lexington, Ky., on Nov. 3, selling as Hip 209 from the Vinery Sales consignment.
Along with two other Grade 1-winning millionaire mares consigned by Vinery Sales, Free Like A Girl (Hip 99) and Sacred Wish (Hip 140), a portion of Dorth Vader’s sale proceeds will benefit charity.
“Evan Ferraro from Fasig-Tipton and I worked together on the idea,” Matt Bowling of Vinery Sales said. “All three mares have incredible connections and unique names and stories, so we thought it would be good to do something along these lines. When I pitched the ideas to the teams of each horse, they were all excited to be a part of it and give back to some awesome charities.”
A portion of Dorth Vader’s sale proceeds will be going to the Starlight Children’s Foundation, which collaborates with LucasFilm and Disney to offer Star Wars-themed programs to sick children during their hospital stays.
A portion of the proceeds generated by the sale of Free Like a Girl will be donated to St. Jude’s Children Hospital in gratitude for the care they provided to trainer Deville Pomier’s niece during an illness. Jake Ballis of Black Type Thoroughbreds, owner of Sacred Wish, will be supporting the Make-A-Wish Foundation with a contribution coming directly from the sale. The Make-A-Wish Foundation helps fulfill the wishes of seriously ill children.
Return to the October 28 issue of Wire to Wire
