Vineyard Haven leads throughout in eventful Hopeful

Vineyard Haven put the exclamation point on the meet for Alan Garcia, who earned his first Spa riding title (Bill Roberts/Horsephotos.com) When Bobby Frankel snapped up VINEYARD HAVEN (Lido Palace [Chi]) after his 4 1/4-length maiden score at Calder, the private purchase fit the pattern of such past Frankel stars as Peace Rules, Midas Eyes and Medaglia d'Oro, signifying that this was a juvenile to watch. Vineyard Haven's troubled third in the Sanford S. (G2) did not immediately confirm that notion, but his front-running heroics in Monday's $250,000 Hopeful S. (G1) certainly did. Breaking alertly beneath new rider Alan Garcia, the gray colt took command early, capitalized on the mistakes of a couple of his rivals, and surged to a 2 1/4-length victory. The first graded stakes winner sired by former Frankel stand-out Lido Palace (Chi), Vineyard Haven completed seven furlongs on the fast track in 1:23 2/5 to add his name to the Hopeful's illustrious honor roll. "It's a big thrill," Frankel said, adding that the colt may well be sold again. "I know we'll be getting some good offers because he won like a really nice horse. I think we'll keep him, but it depends. We'll play it by ear and enjoy this race."

When the gate opened, nearly 5-2 favorite Munnings (Speightstown) lunged and

stumbled and was relegated to last in the eight-horse field. Unbeaten Sanford

winner Desert Party (Street Cry [Ire]) also stumbled and was soon pinched back

after being bumped.

Up front, Vineyard Haven reeled off fractions of :22 3/5 and :45 with Break

Water Edison (Lemon Drop Kid) at his throat-latch. Cribnote (Read the Footnotes)

then advanced into a contending third, but he completely failed to handle the

turn and careened to the far outside, effectively ruining his chances.

Meanwhile, Vineyard Haven had disposed of Break Water Edison and opened up by

daylight in the stretch. Munnings, who had gradually gained ground after his

disastrous beginning, was trying to mount a rally, and the now-straightened

Cribnote was barreling home strongly down the center of the track. Neither got

close enough to menace Vineyard Haven, who returned $20.40, $8.80 and $4.90 as

the 9-1 sixth choice.

Despite his nearly bolting on the turn, Cribnote still finished a clear

runner-up by two lengths, yielding $6.60 and $3.70 at 5-1 and ending the $149.50

exacta.

"I think he was tons the best today," trainer Rick Violette said of Cribnote.

"All the way down the backside, it looked like he was afraid of horses inside of

him. He was still looking at them like they were ghosts inside of him, and he

wanted to get away from them. For him to be second is pretty miraculous."

Munnings provided $2.80 to show and rounded out the $675 trifecta. The 3-1

Break Water Edison checked in another half-length back in fourth to produce the

$1,786 superfecta (5-8-4-1). Next came Notonthesamepage (Catienus), Desert

Party, Medaglia d'Onore (Medaglia d'Oro) and Cognito (Langfuhr).

Owned by Frankel in partnership with Louis Lazzinnaro and Diamond Pride,

Vineyard Haven sports a 3-2-0-1 mark, and the $150,000 winner's check boosted

his earnings to $179,000. He was bred in Florida by his original owner/trainer,

Lynne Scace, for whom he captured his career debut on June 28. Vineyard Haven is

out of the winning Princess Aloha (Aloha Prospector), making him a half-brother

to stakes victor On the Vineyard (Lite the Fuse).

Frankel mentioned the October 4 Champagne S. (G1) at Belmont Park as his next

possible port of call.