Cavorting Posts Mild Upset in Ogden Phipps

Cavorting draws clear in the 2016 Ogden Phipps.

Cavorting draws clear in the 2016 Ogden Phipps.

By definition, Cavorting means to “jump or dance around excitedly” and after Saturday’s Ogden Phipps (GI) at Belmont Park there’s little doubt a lot of that was going on in the Kiran McLaughlin barn after the Stonestreet Stables-owned daughter of Bernardini captured the 47th running of the 1 1/16-mile race by 2 1/2 lengths after rallying from the very back in the early going.

Ridden by jockey Florent Geroux for the first time, Cavorting completed the distance in 1:40.14.

Cavorting was the public’s near 9-2 fourth choice in the field of seven and paid $10.60, $5.50 and $4.10. Forever Unbridled, who had a fairly troubled trip from the get-go and, after rallying from last, was stuck behind a wall of rivals unwilling to let her through at the top of the stretch, rallied when clear to finish second at nearly 7-2, returning $4.90 and $3.50. Carrumba, at 10-1, was another half-length back in third and was good for $5.20.

Curalina, the 9-5 post time favorite, was fourth and was followed by Sheer Drama, Stopchargingmaria and Desert Valley.

Cavorting, who has now earned $1,663,000 thanks to the $535,000 winner’s share of the Ogden Phipps pot, won her seventh race in 12 career starts. The four-year-old Kentucky-bred filly won last year’s Prioress Stakes (GI) ant Test Stakes (GI) and won this year’s Ruffian Handicap (GII) in her most recent start.