Vicarage is Initial Winner for Sire Vicar

Dogwood Stable’s two-year-old colt Vicarage was an impressive winner first time out—winning his 5 ½ furlong race at Belmont Park on July 5 by 3 ¼ lengths. Trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by John Velasquez, the colt could start next in the Grade 2, $150,000 Sanford at Saratoga on July 29.

“When a two-year-old wins a maiden race at Belmont or Saratoga in his first start, it is cause for some excitement,” said Cot Campbell, Dogwood Stable president. “Vicarage has always signaled that he could be a good horse, but we really thought he was going to see his best days in the fall when the distances are stretched out. That’s why we were overjoyed when this first winner of the sire Vicar romped home three on top after losing four or five lengths at the break.”

Vicarage is slated to run next in the Sanford Stakes, according to Campbell: “We also have another colt, Departing Now, for the Sanford. Therefore, if we found an allowance race two or three days after the Sanford, we might opt for that for Vicarage, as he could use a tad more seasoning. In a perfect world, we would run both Vicarage and Departing Now in the Grade 1 Hopeful on August 21.”

Freshman sire Vicar was twice a Grade 1 winner during his racing career—winning both the Fountain of Youth and the Florida Derby. Vicar retired with a record of 17-4-2-3 and $835,142 in earnings.