Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Martin Schwartz and CHC Inc.’s Valiance collared pace-setting Shedaresthedevil at the eighth pole and then held off a late bid from Ollie’s Candy by three-quarters of a length to win the 65th running of the $400,000 Juddmonte Spinster (G1) for fillies and mares Sunday afternoon.
The victory secured a spot in the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) to be run here Nov. 7.
Trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by Luis Saez, Valiance covered the 1 1/8 miles on a fast main track in 1:49.76.
For Pletcher, Keeneland’s all-time leading trainer in stakes wins with 57, it was his fourth Juddmonte Spinster victory. Previous wins came from Panty Raid (2007), In Lingerie (2012) and Got Lucky (2015).
For Saez, it was his fifth victory in 10 graded stakes during Fall Stars Weekend, including Grade 1 scores in the Darley Alcibiades on Friday with Simply Ravishing and in Saturday’s Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity on Essential Quality. He won four races Sunday, including the final three.
Shedaresthedevil, fresh off a victory in the Kentucky Oaks (G1), set the pace while under token pressure from Lady Kate through fractions of :23.62, :46.97 and 1:10.85. On the far turn, Saez moved Valiance up to the flank of the leader and the two raced as a team until midstretch when Valiance took control.
With her first graded stakes victory, Valiance earned $240,000 and increased her earnings to $469,575 with a record of 8-6-0-0. She is a 4-year-old Kentucky-bred daughter of Tapit out of the Empire Maker mare Last Full Measure.
Valiance paid $14.80, $5.60 and $2.80. Ollie’s Candy, ridden by Joel Rosario, returned $4 and $2.40 and finished 2½ lengths in front of favored Shedaresthedevil, who paid $2.20 to show under Florent Geroux.
It was another 5¾ lengths back to Lady Kate, who was followed in order by Saracosa and Our Super Freak.
Mutasaabeq rallies from last to first for easy Bourbon victory
Shadwell Stable’s Mutasaabeq, last at the top of the stretch in the field of 11, rocketed to the front at the sixteenth pole and cruised to a 2¼-length victory in the 30th running of the $200,000 Bourbon (G2) for 2-year-olds and earn a spot in the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) to be run at a mile here Nov. 6.
Trained by Todd Pletcher and ridden by Luis Saez, Mutasaabeq covered the 1 1/16 miles on a firm turf course in 1:43.13 in his grass debut. It is the fifth victory in the Bourbon for Pletcher, whose other winners are Twilight Meteor (2006), Bittel Road (2008), Interactif (2009) and Current (2018).
Into the Sunrise emerged with the lead in the run to the first turn and set fractions of :22.62, :47.09 and 1:12.24 while Saez waited at the back.
Mutasaabeq shifted to the outside on the far turn, entered the stretch eight wide and quickly picked off rivals before overtaking Into the Sunrise inside the sixteenth pole and drawing off.
A Keeneland November Breeding StockSale graduate, Mutasaabeq is a Kentucky-bred son of Into Mischief out of the Scat Daddy mare Downside Scenario. The victory was worth $120,000 and increased his earnings to $189,600 with a record of 3-2-0-1.
Sent off as the favorite, Mutasaabeq paid $6, $3.80 and $3.60. Abarta rallied for second under Umberto Rispoli to return $10.60 and $7.60. Nathan Detroit finished another three-quarters of a length back in third under Julien Leparoux and paid $7.60 to show.
It was another head back to Into the Sunrise, who was followed in order by Arrest Me Red, Private Island, Spyglass, Barrister Tom, Blame the Booze, Indy Tourist and Really Slow.
Bodenheimer goes wire to wire to win Indian Summer
Kristin Boice and Marylou Holden’s Bodenheimer shot to the front out of the gate and never was threatened in posting a one-length victory over Cowan in the third running of the $150,000 Indian Summer (L) Presented by Keeneland Select for 2-year-olds.
With the victory, Bodenheimer gained a fees-paid berth into the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G2) to be run at 5½ furlongs on Nov. 6.
Trained by Valorie Lund and ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., Bodenheimer covered the 5½ furlongs over a firm turf course in a stakes-record 1:02.70. It is the first Keeneland stakes victory for Lund.
Bodenheimer quickly opened a daylight advantage and led the field of six through fractions of :21.60 and :44.56 and had more than enough left in the tank to hold off a late bid from Cowan.
The victory was worth $90,000 for the Washington-bred son of Atta Boy Roy out of the A.P. Indy mare Beautiful Daniele. Bodenheimer has earned $141,225 with a record of 4-3-0-0.
Bodenheimer paid $10.20, $5.20 and $3.20. Cowan, who rallied for second under Ricardo Santana Jr., returned $4 and $3 and finished six lengths in front of Agog, who paid $4.80 to show with James Graham aboard.
It was another three lengths back to Good With People, who was followed by Roderick and Petit Verdot.
Keeneland Press Release
Keeneland Photo
