Third Win from Four Starts for Trainer Miguel Vera at Pimlico

BALTIMORE – Rock Brothers Breeders’ Irrepressible, in the first start for her new connections, cruised to a front-running five-length maiden triumph Sunday, continuing trainer Miguel Vera’s strong start to the Preakness Meet at Pimlico.

With jockey J.D. Acosta aboard, Irrepressible ($11) broke sharply and opened a 10-length lead after six furlongs in 1:12.25 and rolled to the wire a five-length winner in the 1 1/16-mile maiden special weight for fillies and mares 3, 4 and 5. The winning time was 1:46.29 over a muddy main track.

“I expect her to run like that. She’s been training very good for me and the last couple of weeks she’s been getting better and better,” Vera said. “I’m surprised the way she won, but I expected her to win today.”

Bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm, Irrepressible is a 4-year-old daughter of Into Mischief out of the Unbridled’s Song mare Unbridled Ridge who fetched $750,000 as a 2-year-old in training in April 2019.

Winless in four starts for Phoenix Thoroughbred and Hall of Fame trainer Steve Asmussen, Irrepressible was purchased for $45,000 at Keeneland’s November 2020 breeding stock sale. She had her first work for Pimlico-based Vera in December and has been training steadily for her return.

“They paid tons of money for her. She’s not an easy filly to train. It took me forever to get her right to the races,” Vera said. I think she’s got some potential. I don’t know what kind of filly she is yet, but she surprised me today.

“She ran huge. Actually I would like to try her on the turf. I think she can do both. Maybe a little bit short, one mile flat,” he added. “That’s my idea. I didn’t check any race for her yet but I would like to try her definitely on the turf, something between now and four more weeks.”

Irrepressible was the third winner from Vera’s first four starters at the meet, starting with 3-year-old Malibu Moon filly Moonrock on the opening day program April 22. Edie Meeny Miny Mo, a 3-year-old Maryland-bred Upstart filly, captured a waiver maiden claimer April 23. Both horses were first-time starters.

‘I’m pretty excited about those two girls. Before they ran they showed me in the morning they got some talent, both fillies,” Vera said. “I expected them to run like that and I’m very excited about them.”

Vera was awarded his second winner Sunday when even-money favorite Supporting Actor ($4) was elevated from second to first following the disqualification of El Equalizer for interference at the start of Race 9.

A multiple stakes-winning trainer, Vera has Saratoga Jack and Chilly In Charge entered for the Page McKenney Handicap Tuesday at Parx, and 3-year-old Maryland-bred colt Cosmicality in a 1 1/16-mile waiver maiden claimer Thursday at Pimlico. The second-time starter is also owned by Rock Brothers Breeders.

Notes: Jockeys Carol Cedeno, Yomar Ortiz and J.D. Acosta each doubled Sunday. Cedeno swept the opening daily double with Drakesboro Wildcat ($15.20) in Race 1 and Welling ($4.80) in Race 2. Ortiz was first on Heir Port ($11.80) in Race 6 and Titan’s Will ($15.60) in Race 8. Acosta rode both of trainer Miguel Vera’s winners, Irrepressible ($11) in Race 5 and Supporting Actor ($4) in Race 9 … Heir Port, a son of Mosler racing for the first time since a fifth-place finish in the James F. Lewis III last November at Laurel Park, captured Sundays’ feature, a five-furlong allowance for 3-year-olds and up … Hit for a $40,752.78 payoff on Saturday’s Spring Stakes Spectacular program, the 20-cent Rainbow 6 began anew Sunday and went unsolved, creating a jackpot carryover of $3,785.90 for Thursday, April 29. Tickets with five of six winners Sunday returned $630.98.