Cavorting back to her best, wins Ruffian by five

Cavorting ended a three-race losing skid in terrific style Saturday at Belmont Park, romping by five lengths in the $250,000 Ruffian (G2).

Unplaced in two previous attempts at a one-turn mile, Cavorting found the distance and conditions well to her liking this time under new rider Javier Castellano.

Rated in fourth as Calamity Kate set a moderate pace of :23.75 and :47.05, Cavorting appeared headstrong down the backside, made a three-wide bid for the lead approaching the stretch, blew past even-money favorite Carrumba, and drew off readily to win in a time of 1:34.05 over a fast track.

Owned by Stonestreet Stables and trained by Kiaran McLaughlin, Cavorting paid $7.80 as the 5-2 second choice in a field of six fillies and mares. Carrumba was second and Spelling Again third.

One of the nation's top three-year-old filly sprinters last season following consecutive wins in the $150,000 Jersey Girl, Test (G1), and Prioress (G2), Cavorting went on to lose three straight as the favorite. A wide-trip fourth from post 14 in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1), she finished up the year third in the La Brea (G1) and kicked off 2016 with a second-place effort in the Distaff H. (G3) at Aqueduct.

Cavorting, who also won the Adirondack (G2) as a juvenile, might stretch out even farther for her next start.

"Winning that way, it looks like she'll be able to get a mile or plus. There's a big race at 1 1/16 miles (Ogden Phipps [G1]) on Belmont Stakes Day (June 11) we might try."

(NYRA/Adam Coglianese Photography)