By Stefanie Grimm
Starting Saturday's graded stakes action off in style, Praying (Vekoma), the longest shot on the board at 21-1, sprung the upset over 'TDN Rising Star' Delightful Claire (Thousand Words) in the GIII Prioress Stakes at Saratoga.
Stakes-placed as a juvenile in the Myrtlewood at Keeneland as a juvenile, this $410,000 OBS April grad came off a four-month layoff to grab another stakes placing in the Southern Hospitality Overnight Stakes at Oaklawn in March. The promise of that start went unfulfilled however when Praying broke through the gate in her most recent start at Churchill Downs and wound up an empty seventh in her first start with Lasix May 24.
Drawn widest Saturday in her graded stakes debut, the wagering public found little to like, sending her off over her 15-1 morning line with the attention firmly set on Delightful Claire and fellow 'Rising Star' Long Neck Paula (Uncle Mo). Away in good order under jockey Eric Cancel, Praying had early speed if she wanted it but opted to take back as three other rivals shot forward to her inside to contest the front. Long Neck Paula was the quickest of that trio and opened up an unpressured advantage heading into the far turn with Delightful Claire whipping-in the quintet. Fourth but right up in the thick of the action, Praying began a bold bid midway around, circling the field around the outside to get on even terms with the pacesetter at the quarter pole. And just as quickly, the longshot went right on, leaving Long Neck Paula and the rest of the field in her wake in a stylish victory for trainer Robert Medina. Delightful Claire made up a lot of ground late to get into second but was never a threat to the winner.
“I had a wonderful trip,” said Cancel who was catch-riding here for the injured Jose Lezcano. “They told me just try to stay away from the filly's mouth, try to keep her comfortable. That is what I did. The post helped me 100 percent with it. I kind of felt like I had a lot of horse going to the three-eighths. I kind of knew we were going to have to run pretty hard down [to the wire] to beat her. Once I made the lead, she just kept on going. Never gave up on me. I'm just really happy and grateful for the opportunity.”
“I had a race–she was actually in at Ellis at the end of July–our plan was to run there to get to this race, but they canceled the races because of the heat,” added trainer Robert Medina. “I didn't want to just run her–I just figured we'd bring her up here and train her to this race. We schooled her here and she was absolutely perfect. She's been perfect since we got here. I knew she was sitting on a good one. I was hoping to get black type, but I didn't think she was going to run bonkers like that. Any win here is a good win, but to get the first one in a stakes race I feel like I'm blessed.”
Medina noted that Praying would likely point to the GII Raven Run Stakes at Keeneland Oct. 18.
Pedigree Note:
The fifth individual graded stakes winner for Vekoma, Praying is out of a winning Bernardini first dam who has also produced GI Darley Alcibiades Stakes third Alys Beach (Omaha Beach) and GIII Adirondack Stakes third Spa Prospector (Authentic). Praying is now her third graded stakes performer in as many foals for a mare who sold for just $130,000 to McMahon & Hill Bloodstock at KEENOV in 2018. Pray for Leslie is also a half-sister to C J's Gal (Awesome Again), the dam MGSW and $1.5m Spendthrift broodmare buy Hidden Connection (Connect). After coming up empty to McKinzie in 2024, Pray for Leslie reported a Nyquist filly this year and went to leading general sire Into Mischief for 2026.
🙏 Praying upsets at 21/1 in the G3 Prioress at Saratoga for trainer Robert Media with @Ericcancel85 aboard! pic.twitter.com/GHZAq91yZQ
— TwinSpires Racing 🏇 (@TwinSpires) August 30, 2025
Saturday, Saratoga
PRIORESS S.-GIII, $169,750, Saratoga, 8-30, 3yo, f, 6f, 1:10.10, ft.
1–PRAYING, 120, f, 3, by Vekoma
1st Dam: Pray for Leslie, by Bernardini
2nd Dam: C J's Leelee, by Mizzen Mast
3rd Dam: Fight to Love, by Fit to Fight
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN, 1ST GRADED STAKES WIN. ($130,000
Ylg '23 KEESEP; $410,000 2yo '24 OBSAPR). O-Newtown Anner
Stud Farm; B-Jeff Kerber (KY); T-Robert Medina; J-Eric Cancel.
$96,250. Lifetime Record: 8-2-4-0, $224,240.
*1/2 to Alys Beach (Omaha Beach), GISP, $143,500.
Werk Nick Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Delightful Claire, 120, f, 3, Thousand Words–Izshelegal,
by Maria's Mon. 'TDN Rising Star'. 1ST BLACK TYPE,
1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE. ($65,000 Wlg '22 FTKNOV;
$250,000 Ylg '23 FTKJUL). O-Rigney Racing LLC;
B-Gmbracstables LLC, Mr. & Mrs. Ramon Rangel & Mr. & Mrs.
Zachary Mad (KY); T-Philip A. Bauer. $35,000.
3–Flat Out Time, 120, f, 3, Not This Time–Flat Out Speed,
by Flat Out. 1ST BLACK TYPE, 1ST GRADED BLACK TYPE.
($250,000 Wlg '22 FTKNOV; $185,000 RNA Ylg '23 KEESEP).
O-Black Type Thoroughbreds, Swinbank Stables LLC, Steve
Adkisson and Andrew Atkinson; B-H. Allen Poindexter (KY);
T-George Weaver. $21,000.
Margins: 3HF, HD, 3/4. Odds: 21.20, 0.75, 5.20.
Also Ran: Long Neck Paula, Stone Smuggler. Scratched: Rojo Rita. Click for the Equibase.com chart and the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
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