Scipion gets off the mark with first winner

Grade 3 hero SCIPION (A.P. Indy), a three-quarter brother to unbeaten

champion and sire Vindication (Seattle Slew), sent out his first winner Monday

when Victoria's Comet justified 6-5 favoritism in the

2ND race at Delaware Park. Trained by Michael Petro and ridden by Nicholas

Petro, the Maryland-bred juvenile forced the early pace, opened up on the field

and held a 1 1/2-length margin at the wire. Victoria's Comet, who was entered

for a $30,000 claiming price, negotiated six furlongs in 1:13 2/5 on the fast

track.

Owned by R C Z Stable, the winner was bred by Payson Stud, which also bred

her sire Scipion and his famous relation Vindication. Scipion, who was listed as

sold to trainer Patrick Biancone for $1.9 million as a yearling at Saratoga,

raced for Virginia Kraft Payson.

Making his career debut the following summer at the Spa, Scipion roared from

the tail of the field to score a visually-impressive victory, and the dark bay

followed up with a third-place effort behind Bellamy Road in the 2002 Cradle S.

(G3).

His signature win came early in his sophomore season in the 2003 Risen

Star S. (G3) at Fair Grounds, where he rolled in last-to-first style. Scipion

next finished sixth in the Louisiana Derby (G2), and his road to the Kentucky

Derby (G1) was ended by injury. As a four-year-old, he finished second in the

Point Given S. and fourth to champion Funny Cide in the Dominion Day S.

(Can-G3).

Ultimately retired with a record of 17-2-2-4, $194,056, Scipion stands at

Murmur Farm near Darlington, Maryland. The nine-year-old's 2011 fee was $5,000,

live foal.

Scipion is out of Grade 3 heroine Strawberry Reason (Strawberry Road [Aus]),

whose top performer was Vindication. A perfect four-for-four, Vindication

clinched the divisional Eclipse Award with a 2 3/4-length decision in the 2002

Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1). A career-ending injury snuffed out his Triple Crown

ambitions, and after only five seasons at stud, he died of a gastric rupture at

the age of eight.

Vindication's notable progeny racing this year include Canadian Grade 3

winner Wyomia, runner-up in the Ashland S. (G1) and most recently third in the

Virginia Oaks (G3); stakes victor Sherriff Cogburn, runner-up in the Iowa Derby

(G3) last time and headed to Saturday's West Virginia Derby (G2); and the

multiple Grade 3-placed sprinter Vengeful Wildcat, who captured the Chick Lang

S. on Preakness Day.

Strawberry Reason, who also produced the Japanese Grade 2-placed True Reason

(Silver Deputy) as well as Grade 2-placed Blackberry Road (Gone West), came from

the family of multiple stakes winner and successful sire Cornish Prince (Bold

Ruler). Also descending from this line are Horse of the Year Spend a Buck and

French champion *Ardan (Pharis), hero of the 1944 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe.