The Empire Finally Strikes Back As Dorth Vader Upsets ‘WAYI’ Ogden Phipps

[Wandering Eyes]

Maybe it was the sloppy sealed track. Or the 1 1/8 mile distance. Or maybe, just maybe, the force was with her Friday.

Rail-drawn Florida-bred Dorth Vader (Girvin) stepped up against the highly-touted Chad Brown-trained duo of Raging Sea (Curlin) and Randomized (Nyquist) to conquer the “Win and You're In” GI Ogden Phipps Stakes, stamping a ticket to the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff at Del Mar this November.

Making her third start off a significant layoff, Dorth Vader entered 2025 with something to prove. She hadn't won since t he 2023 GII Davona Dale Stakes, though she hadn't exactly disgraced herself either when second by a head to 'TDN Rising Star' Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief) in the 2023 edition of the GI Acorn Stakes. Largely rested since a fourth in the GI Test Stakes that summer, Dorth Vader has made only three starts in the years since with two of them coming just this spring. Another fourth, this time to Idiomatic (Curlin) in last year's GI La Troienne Stakes, marked her only start of 2024. Clearly trainer George Weaver lost no confidence in this homebred coming back a 5-year-old as she ran second at Gulfstream in an allowance race March 28 and jumped right back into the deep waters to tackle the La Troienne where was fourth once again to the aforementioned Raging Sea and Randomized.

Drawn on the rail for her third-straight race, Dorth Vader bound out smartly and was outrun into the first turn only by the speedier Dazzling Move (Not This Time) for Saffie Joseph Jr. while a pair of horses, including 5-2 second choice and defending race champion Randomized, kept pace further out. Kept against the rail in a tightly-bunched group with only even-money favorite Raging Sea left behind, the 8-1 chance stayed right in the tracks of Dazzling Move just in front as the opening fractions ticked by in :22.90 and 46.41. Right as the field passed the half-mile pole, Dorth Vader began to angle out and the top pair began to open up on the rest with several lengths back to 'TDN Rising Star' Tarifa (Bernardini). It was clear by the quarter pole that the race was on only for third as Dorth Vader drew past the early pacesetter inside the furlong pole and cleared off nicely, leaving far too much work to do for Raging Sea who did her best to close an insurmountable gap to finish a clear third.

“I still wasn't sure she wanted to go that far,” said Weaver. “When I first got her, I was like, 'Man, this filly does not need blinkers.' I thought that from the beginning. I never took them off until this year, and it's paying dividends. She's really getting into a nice, comfortable groove early in the race and I think it's helping her get the two turns. She's a high-strung filly, but she's like fine wine. She's getting better with age.”

“I was expecting this kind of trip, really,” added winning rider John Velazquez. “I thought probably a little more speed showed up. I mean, they went fast enough anyways. My horse settled the way I wanted her to. When I showed [speed], the other horse [No. 2, Dazzling Move] kind of took off a little bit. I got a good position on the backstretch, and from then on, I was very comfortable. She wanted to be forward. She handled it [the track] very well.”

Leaving no doubt as to his mare's next step, winning owner/breeder John Ropes added: “She should have won the [La Troienne]. She was getting ready to roll and we got cut off. We knew we could win today. George thought she is probably in the best shape she's ever been and this is her time. Plus, we had to have the jockey to pull it off and there aren't better than Johnny with his patience and ability to read the track. I was worried turning for home because her best runs are in the stretch. [Wet conditions] give everyone a pause, but I thought she could handle it. She's very light on her feet. It is very sweet. All my horses are homebreds. I don't buy horses to race; I race the horses I bred. I've been doing this for 45 years and bred this horse there in Ocala. We're going to California [for the Breeders' Cup].”

Pedigree Note:

Dorth Vader is the second top-level winner for Airdrie Stud's Girvin, joining GI Starlet Stakes victress and 'TDN Rising Star' Faiza. Stakes-placed first dam Hardcore Candy, a half to MSW Chestnut Lady (Horse Chestnut {SAf}), is responsible for five winners from eight to race with Dorth Vader clearly the class of her crop. Last through the ring unsold on a final bid of just $5,500 at the OBS Winter Mixed Sale in 2020, Hardcore Candy has a pair of full-sisters to this new Grade I-winner in 2024's appropriately-named Revenge of the Sis joining her 2025 filly.

 

The Force was strong with her!

DORTH VADER wins the Grade 1 Ogden Phipps pres. by @Ford at 8-1 with @jjcjockey up for trainer George Weaver. pic.twitter.com/eya4b2TEPr

— Belmont Stakes (@BelmontStakes) June 6, 2025

Friday, Saratoga
OGDEN PHIPPS S. PRESENTED BY FORD-GI, $485,000, Saratoga, 6-6, 4yo/up, f/m, 1 1/8m, 1:49.10, sy.
1–DORTH VADER, 118, m, 5, by Girvin
                1st Dam: Hardcore Candy (SP, $101,308), by Yonaguska
                2nd Dam: Its a Girl, by Thunder Gulch
                3rd Dam: Ladyago, by Northern Dancer
1ST GRADE I WIN. O/B-John Ropes (FL); T-George Weaver; J-John R. Velazquez. $275,000. Lifetime Record: 15-5-2-1, $893,218. Werk Nick Rating: B+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree or free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.
2–Dazzling Move, 120, f, 4, by Not This Time
                1st Dam: Lady Liam, by Saint Liam
                2nd Dam: Tricki Mae, by Phone Trick
                3rd Dam: Pamela Kay, by Hold Your Peace
1ST G1 BLACK TYPE. ($85,000 RNA Ylg '22 KEESEP; $135,000 2yo '23 EASMAY). O-Miller Racing LLC; B-Jesse Korona (ON); T-Saffie A. Joseph, Jr.. $100,000.
3–Raging Sea, 124, m, 5, by Curlin
                1st Dam: Stormy Welcome, by Storm Cat
                2nd Dam: Welcome Surprise, by Seeking the Gold
                3rd Dam: Weekend Surprise, by Secretariat
($300,000 RNA Ylg '21 KEESEP). O-Alpha Delta Stables LLC; B-Alpha Delta Stables, LLC (KY); T-Chad C. Brown. $60,000.
Margins: 4 3/4, 1 3/4, 16. Odds: 8.80, 12.50, 1.10.
Also Ran: Tarifa, Randomized, Leslie's Rose. Scratched: Candied.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or the TJCIS.com PPs. VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

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