by Jack Shinar
Date Posted: February 22, 2008
Last Updated: February 22, 2008

Greg Gilchrist trained Vicarino broke the five-furlong track mark at Bay Meadows Feb. 21. Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt

Heavy favorite Vicarino broke the five-furlong track mark at Bay Meadows Feb. 21 even though he spotted his rivals a head start in the $42,400 sprint feature.

Vicarino's clocking was :55.93 on a track rated wet fast. It barely eclipsed the former five-furlong standard at Bay Meadows of :55.95 set by Rockin' Rizzi on Dec. 18, 2006. Bay Meadows races on a conventional dirt surface.

Trained by Greg Gilchrist and owned by Harry J. Aleo of San Francisco �?the connections for 2005 sprint champion Lost in the Fog �?Vicarino was sent off as the 1-2 favorite and returned $3.

Vicarino hesitated and hopped at the start of the allowance dash, breaking last in the field of five and giving up two lengths to his opponents. Once he recovered, he set after dueling pacesetters Vaderator and Tontine Too and gradually carved into their advantage on the far turn.

Jockey Russell Baze angled Vicarino to the outside entering the stretch and the 4-year-old colt accelerated strongly to reel in Tontine Too and Vaderator. Vicarino edged clear in the final furlong to win by two lengths over Tontine Too.

Vicarino, son of Vicar—September Passion, by Wolf Power, notched his fifth victory in seven career starts. Hopewell Investments bred Vicarino in Kentucky.

Vicarino is expected to make his next start in the $100,000 Bay Meadows Breeders' Cup Sprint (gr. III) , a six-furlong contest set March 15.

That race is also expected to attract Tribesman, who defeated grade I winner Idiot Proof by nearly two lengths in the six-furlong Phoenix Gold Cup at Turf Paradise Feb. 16. Tribesman, the winner of five consecutive races, was timed in a sizzling 1:07.80.

(Chart, Equibase)

 

Too bad he did not make it to the Derby last year.  Look into his bloodlines and he would have had an honest shot.  Oh well...at least he is still cranking them out in his 4YO campaign.