Vasilika

Vasilika, one of Thoroughbred racing’s best claims of 2018, began racing in 2016 at Gulfstream Park and did not break her maiden until her eighth start in early 2017. The Skipshot filly raced in claiming and starter allowance races through that year and into early 2018, and was claimed by trainer Jerry Hollendorfer and owner George Todaro after a win on Feb. 11, 2018 at Santa Anita Park, her first start in California.

The filly finished second in her next start, but then won five consecutive races as her ownership group grew. Elevated to face stakes company in the Grade 2 John C. Mabee Stakes on Sept. 1 at Del Mar, Vasilika upset favorite Cambodia to win her sixth straight race under a well-timed ride from Flavien Prat.

Vasilika continued her stellar season in the fall, scoring her first Grade 1 win in the Rodeo Drive Stakes on Sept. 29 at Santa Anita Park and then taking the Grade 2 Goldikova Stakes on Nov. 4 at the same track. Her eight-race winning streak came to an end, however, on closing day at Del Mar's Bing Crosby meet on Dec. 2, when she finished fourth in the Grade 1 Matriarch Stakes.

Vasilika started her 5-year-old campaign on Jan. 21, 2019, by returning to the winner’s circle, rallying under Flavien Prat to post a 1 ½-length win in the Grade 3 Megahertz Stakes at Santa Anita as the 3-5 favorite. She followed with another clear victory as the heavy favorite in the Grade 2 Buena Vista Stakes on Feb. 23 at Santa Anita Park.

The classy racemare extended her unbeaten 2019 streak to three in the April 6 Grade 2 Royal Heroine Stakes at Santa Anita Park, coasting to an easy victory under Flavien Prat. On Memorial Day, May 27, she added yet another graded stakes score to her impressive career portfolio, defeating East Coast shipper Rymska by a length in the Grade 1 Gamely Stakes at Santa Anita, her second top-level win.

After four wins in a row, Vasilika came up short in the Aug. 3 Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon Handicap at Del Mar but still ran well, closing late to finish third and beaten only a half-length. She returned in the Grade 2 John C. Mabee Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 31 and resumed her winning ways as the even-money favorite, scoring a repeat win in the Mabee and tallying her seventh graded stakes overall.  Vasilika then traveled east to Keeneland where she finished third in the Grade 1 First Lady Stakes. Back on her home turf for the 2019 Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf, Vasilika moved past pacesetter Mirth to challenge for the lead in deep stretch and then fought stride for stride with European invader Iridessa before coming up just short in a game runner-up finish.