Vekoma’s Vehemente gets first stakes win in $200,000 Fleet Indian S.

Vehemente became the 10^th stakes winner of the year for top-ranked Second-Crop sire Vekoma with her front-running win in the $200,000 Fleet Indian S. Aug. 21 at Saratoga.

Vekoma has 22 stakes horses overall this year, far more than any other Second-Crop sire, while his $7.5 million in progeny earnings is outpacing all his peers by nearly $3 million.

Vehemente was the controlling pace from the outset of the nine-furlong race, with Kay Cup in second the entire trip. The margins varied between two and three lengths at each point of call, with the final spread 1 ¼-lengths.

“We thought today we’d give her another try at the distance and just ride her out of there a little bit harder and try to get forward position,” jockey Kendrick Carmouche said. “As you can see, she made every pole a winning pole. I’m just glad that she showed up and she showed the connections that she can make the distance and we can compete at a little bit bigger level.”

Vehemente sports a solid record of 5-2-3 from 11 starts and has earned $320,050 for owner International Equine. The chestnut filly was bred by Hibiscus Stables.