Yaupon filly seeking loftier goals after Seeking the Ante S. win

Velora, who is now two-for-two after winning the $200,000 Seeking the Ante S. Sept. 4 at Saratoga, could be pointed towards graded stakes action in the near future.

The 2-year-old Yaupon filly is one of 11 stakes winners this term for her sire, who holds a commanding lead across the board on the Second-Crop Sire list.

After a convincing debut maiden win on Aug. 1, Velora was the post-time favorite in the six-furlong Seeking the Ante. She sat second behind Cachorrita through a half-mile before willingly taking command in upper stretch. A pair of foes made their bids for the lead in midstretch, but Velora turned them away easily to win by 2 1/4-lengths

“She broke much sharper today, stalking the horse on the lead,” said trainer Linda Rice. “I thought we were in a great spot. Those two horses, the two [Prime Aurora] and the six [B Yutiful Carly], looked like the real contenders. I was glad when [Jose Ortiz] asked her to run and finish up. It was good.

The idea was to go to the Seeking the Ante, give her a little more experience, and I think we will pencil the Frizette [G1, Oct. 3 at Belmont Park] in and point towards that, and see what happens.”

Velora is owned by Winning Move Stable, Sabby Racing, IEE Racing, Sanford H. Robbins LLC and Silverwood Stables and has earned $173,250 in her two wins. The dark bay filly, who sold for $300,000 this April at OBS, was bred in New York by Vineyard Racing LLC.