Nearly three years following the tragic slaughter of The Lieutenant, as well as three other stallions located at Haras Barlovento in Peru, where he was standing for the 2019 southern hemisphere season, the New York-based half-brother to Triple Crown champion Justify (Scat Daddy) was represented by his first winner at Saratoga.
A graded stakes winner who retired with a 4-2-1 record from 15 starts and $345,882 in earnings, The Lieutenant stood just a single season at Sequel Stallions New York where he bred a reported 46 mares before shipping south to Peru where, just four months later, he would be killed in a break in along with three other stallions at Haras Barlovento, which has since closed its operation. His only crop of foals, numbered just 32, included Sunday's winner Vacation Dance.
After failing to meet his reserve at OBS March (:10), Vacation Dance brought $90,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale (:10.1) earlier this year. Making his career debut Sunday at 8-1, he was slow into stride and settled mid-pack in fifth while racing in the clear to the outside. Under a ride midway around the turn, Vacation Dance bid three wide past the quarter pole to take command at the top of the lane and, despite drifting out in the final furlong, he held steady to the line to just hold off Disarmed (Maclean's Music) by a head.
From the extended family of GI Woodward S. winner Art Collector (Bernardini), Vacation Dance has a yearling half-sister by Mucho Macho Man and a weanling half-sister by Heart to Heart. His dam was sent to Combatant for the 2023 season.
1st-Saratoga, $88,000, (S), Msw, 9-4, 2yo, 5 1/2fT, 1:03.52, fm, head.
VACATION DANCE (c, 2, The Lieutenant–Matinee Express, by Zensational) Sales History: $45,000 Ylg '21 EASOCT; $140,000 RNA 2yo '22 OBSMAR; $90,000 2yo '22 EASMAY. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $48,400. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O-Sleeping Giant Stables, LLC, America's Pastime Stables & KimDon Racing, LLC; B-Harry Landry & James Hogan (NY); T-John C. Kimmel.
The Lieutenant holds a special place in our hearts. We couldn't be happier to see his first MSW winner at Saratoga @kendrick_carmouche @jkimmelracing Sleeping Giant Stables, America's Pasttime Stables and KimDon Racing. Bred by Harry Landry and James Hogan
📸: @barbaradlivingston pic.twitter.com/e83AcXsPnU— Sequel New York (@sequelnewyork) September 4, 2022
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