Will Streaker Step Up?

The Vagrancy Handicap (G2) will be run tomorrow at Big Sandy at  6 and ½ furlongs. Hilda’s Passion is the only graded stakes winner in the race and because of that, she will be toting highweight of 123. There are so many things to like about this filly. She is undefeated at the distance, loves to get out and set the pace, has earned almost a half million bucks, and is ridden by the red-hot Javier Castellano. If she can get loose on the lead, this filly could be long gone.

But you better take a look at Streaker. Could this be another in a long line of classy fillies from the Phipps breeding dynasty? A half to the brilliant, but ill fated, Pine island, Streaker could be ready to take it to the big stage. Winner of 3 out of 4 last year, her comeback race this year was a good one. Bobbling slightly at the start, she saved ground on the rail, then altered course, and kicked in nicely down the lane. Still a little green yet she won off with authority. She has come out of the race with two nice works and draws the outside post. She is in with 115, and though she loses Castellano, that could be a choice he may regret.

Matlacha Pass, the dam of Streaker, is out of Our Country Place, who is out of Maplejinsky. She is the dam of Sky Beauty who won the Vagrancy TWICE and was Distaff Champion of 1994. Sky Beauty will be inducted in the Hall of Fame this year. It is a bottom line full of both high class speed and stamina influences.

Streaker could be the next one to bring rewards to this dynamic female family. Shug is having his usual outstanding meet, with 33% in the money, and he is, and always has been, a master with the fillies. Saturday could be Streaker’s day to successfully step up into the filly and mare Stakes division.