By Bloodhorse.com
OZONE PARK, N.Y. — (May 16, 2024) — California-bred Big Pond was a big deal at Santa Anita Park over the winter, winning the Feb. 18 Spring Fever Stakes in fast time after a nose defeat when second in the Dec. 26 La Brea Stakes (G1).
Now George Krikorian’s homebred 4-year-old daughter of Mr. Big battles five East Coast rivals in the $175,000 Vagrancy Stakes (G3) May 18 at Aqueduct Racetrack. Her principal foes in the 6 1/2-furlong dirt sprint are stakes winners Hot Fudge , Leave No Trace , and Beguine .
Saturday’s race marks Big Pond’s first start for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott and her second outside California, where she was foaled. All seven of her prior starts previously came for trainer Tim Yakteen, including a recent seventh in the April 6 Madison Stakes (G1) at Keeneland that came after an awkward start. She recorded three wins and two seconds for Yakteen, earning $279,480.
Junior Alvarado will be the fourth jockey to ride Big Pond in her last four races, following Flavian Prat, Frankie Dettori and Ramon Vazquez. In her most recent workout, May 11 on the Belmont Park training track, Big Pond moved four furlongs in a swift :47.50, second-fastest of 172.
KEM Stables’ Hot Fudge, a three-time stakes winner over the winter at Aqueduct, will attempt to rebound from a fifth-place finish in the April 6 Distaff Stakes (G3).
“In her last race, she stumbled away from the gates, grabbed a quarter badly and pulled a shoe off and ran last,” trainer Linda Rice said.
Leave No Trace, a March 17 allowance optional claiming winner, seeks her first stakes victory since taking the Spinaway Stakes (G1) in September 2022. Beguine returns to action after running fourth in the Oct. 1 Gallant Bloom Stakes (G2).