Catherine Parke and Augustin Stable's Sparkle Blue surged past the pace-setting Bubble Rock nearing the 16th pole and drew off to score a 2½-length victory in the 32nd running of the $298,594 Rubicon Valley View (G3) for 3-year-old fillies Friday afternoon at Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Ky.
In the race preceding the Rubicon Valley View, Key of Life was an easy winner of the third running of the $200,000 Myrtlewood for 2-year-old fillies.
Trained by Graham Motion and ridden Joel Rosario, Sparkle Blue completed the mile and a sixteenth on a turf course rated as good in 1:42.42. The victory is the fourth in the race for Motion, who previously won with Colonia (FR) in 2018, Quidura (GB) in 2016 and Tiger Ride in 2015.
Bubble Rock took the field of 10 through fractions of :23.02, :47.77 and 1:12.76 with My Philly Twirl chasing in second as Sparkle Blue was using a ground-saving trip along the rail just in behind the leaders.
Bubble Rock carried her advantage into the stretch and when My Philly Twirl began to retreat, Rosario moved Sparkle Blue off the rail for a clear shot at the leader. By the sixteenth pole, Sparkle Blue had opened a clear lead and cruised to the victory.
Sparkle Blue is a Kentucky-bred daughter of Hard Spun out of the Smart Strike mare Silk n' Sapphire. In posting her first graded stakes victory, Sparkle Blue improved her record to 7-4-1-0 and added $174,375 to her bankroll to increase her earnings to $357,075.
Sparkle Blue returned $11.02, $6.32 and $4.50. California Angel rallied from far back under Rafael Bejarano to get second and returned $4.48 and $3.26 with Turnerloose a neck back in third under Florent Geroux and paying $4.42 to show.
It was another head back to Bubble Rock in fourth with Majestic Glory (GB), Lady Puchi, Bicameral, My Philly Twirl, Sunroof and Heavenly Hellos following in order.
In the Myrtlewood, Flurry Racing Stables and Hoffman Family Racing's Key of Life lived up to her odds-on backing by cruising to a 6 3/4-length victory over Lady Radler.
Trained by Brad Cox and ridden by Florent Geroux, Key of Life ran the 6 furlongs on the fast main track in 1:11.09.
Key of Life shot to the lead out of the gate and was hounded by second choice Somebody's Problem through fractions of :22.34 and :45.91. At the top of the stretch, Key of Life found another gear, gradually opened up on the field and was not threatened in the run to the finish line.
Key of Life is a Kentucky-bred daughter of Mo Town out of the Harlan's Holiday mare Longride to Wisdom. A winner of three of four starts, Key of Life increased her earnings to $263,710 with Friday's $116,250 check.
Key of Life returned $3.34, $2.60 and $2.20. Lady Radler, ridden by Julien Leparoux, returned $16.98 and $7.24 and finished 1¾ lengths in front of Baby Got Backspin, who paid $3.96 to show under Irad Ortiz Jr.
It was another head back to Take Charge Briana, who was followed in order by Satin Doll, Two Minute Drill, Flamand, Somebody's Problem, Willow Bend and Time for Champagne.
Keeneland's 17-day Fall Meet comes to a close Saturday afternoon with a 10-race program that begins at 1 p.m. ET. Three stakes are on the program, highlighted by the $350,000 Hagyard Fayette (G2) for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles on the main track. The Hagyard Fayette is scheduled as the ninth race with a 5:16 p.m. post time.
The other stakes are the $300,000 Bryan Station (G3) for 3-year-olds going a mile on the turf that will go as the eighth race with a 4:44 p.m. post time and the $200,000 Bowman Mill for 2-year-old going 6 furlongs on the main track as the sixth race with a 3:40 p.m. post time.
Keeneland will offer a Super High 5 carryover of $8,598.96.
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