Florida-bred MISS VYVYANNE has been a gift for anyone who has had her in their barn. The fast mare by Rainbow Heir is in the best form of her career right now for Ralph Murray and Calstar Farm and trainer Gail Cox, as she took her first stakes race, the Grade 2 Highlander against males on Saturday at Woodbine.
A horse-for-course at the five-furlong distance on the inner turf, Miss Vyvyanne was lucky this year as the Highlander was not only shortened from six furlongs because its usual home, the E.P. Taylor turf course, remains under construction, but the field was very modest. Miss Vyvyanne was 8-to-5 against six starters and she handily jumped to a clear lead out of the gate and romped home first under Pietro Moran.
Stakes-placed Western Whirl was second, with stakes winner Outlaw Kid third. The time was 56.27 for a career-best 97 Beyer Speed Figure.
Claimed for $32,000 almost exactly a year ago to the day, Miss Vyvyanne had raced for several owners and trainers at high claiming levels. When she joined Cox’s stable, she went on a four-race winning streak that included a $75,000 Handicap at Gulfstream Park in Florida in April. The streak came to a brief end when she was run down by Little Teddy in a Tapeta dash in early May.
“We just liked that she was a fast filly,” said Cox of the decision to claim the chestnut. “She’s run well for everybody that had her. She just seemed to be very consistent.”
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