Stunning Sky a Worthy Favorite in Mrs. Revere

Stunning Sky (Declaration of War) managed to snap a seven-length losing streak with a tough-as-nails victory in Keeneland’s GIII Pin Oak Valley View S. when last seen Oct. 16 and figures a strong chance to take her current winning skein to two in Saturday’s GII Mrs. Revere S. at Churchill.

Haltered for $50,000 by this outstanding claiming outfit out of a second-out victory in the Gulfstream slop last December, Stunning Sky added a first-level allowance over the turf before her dry spell. The bay turned in some strong efforts in defeat during that stretch, including runner-up finishes in the GII Lake Placid S. and Saratoga Oaks ahead of a fourth in what has become a productive renewal of the Dueling Grounds Oaks Sept. 10. Trapped out three deep the trip in the Valley View, Stunning Sky nevertheless kept on gamely and grabbed perfect-trip Princess Grace (Karakontie {Jpn}) on the line despite covering 42 feet (about 4 1/4 lengths) more than the runner-up, according to Trakus.

Princess Grace was having just her third career start in the Valley View and looked well on her way to victory at the eighth pole, only to hang the last little bit. She can improve for that experience and will have her fair share of admirers.

How Ironic (Tonalist) was the winner of an Ellis Park allowance Aug. 7 ahead of an even seventh in the Dueling Grounds Oaks. She and Stunning Sky effectively raced as a team in the Valley View, though she lacked the same finishing kick and checked in third, beaten a length, while covering 18 fewer feet.

Hendy Woods (Uncle Mo) was runner-up to ‘TDN Rising Star’ Sharing (Speightstown) in Churchill’s GIII Edgewood S. on the GI Kentucky Oaks undercard Sept. 4 and exits a sixth in the GI QE II Challenge Cup, won by Harvey’s Lil Goil (American Pharoah), who returned to be a bang-up third in the GI Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf last weekend. Easy ground would enhance her chances.

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Top Four Finishers From Valley View Rematched In Churchill’s Mrs. Revere

Paradise Farm Corp. and Parkland Thoroughbreds' $150,000 Valley View Stakes (Grade 3) winner Stunning Sky leads a competitive field of seven 3-year-old fillies that were entered in Saturday's 30th running of the $200,000 Mrs. Revere (G2) at Churchill Downs in Louisville, Ky.

The Mrs. Revere, a 1 1/16-mile event over the Matt Winn Turf Course, is carded as Race 10 with a post time of 5:36 p.m. (all times Eastern). Saturday's 11-race program has a first post of 1 p.m.

Trained by Mike Maker, Stunning Sky recorded a half-length score at odds of 5-1 over fellow Mrs. Revere rival Princess Grace in the 1 1/16-mile Valley View on Oct. 16. Stunning Sky, a 3-year-old daughter of Declaration of War, will be hoping for a fast pace after closing from more than six lengths behind the early pace in her last start on the Keeneland turf course. Claimed for $50,000 in her second start from trainer Jorge Abreu last December, Maker spotted Stunning Sky against stakes company in eight of her last nine starts. She finished second in the $150,000 Lake Placid (G2) and $500,000 Saratoga Oaks prior to her Valley View score.

Ricardo Santana Jr., who has teamed with Maker to win with nine of 36 starts this year, has the call on Stunning Sky and will break from post position No. 3.

The Top 4 finishers of the Valley View were entered in the Mrs. Revere as they seek revenge against Stunning Sky. Susan and John Moore's lightly raced Princess Grace will be attempting to turn the tables against her Valley View rival in just her fourth lifetime start. Trained by Mike Stidham, Princess Grace dominated her first two starts at Colonial Downs and Monmouth, respectively. In the Valley View at odds of 7-1, Princess Grace held a 1 1/2-length lead at the top of the stretch but could not hold off the late surge from Stunning Sky.

Jockey Florent Geroux will be in the saddle for the Mrs. Revere from post 4.

Finishing just one-length behind Stunning Sky and a half-length back of Princess Grace in the Valley View was G. Watts Humphrey's How Ironic. The homebred daughter of Tonalist drew post 5 with Rafael Bejarano in the saddle.

Also entered in the field of 3-year-old fillies: Stonestreet Stables' $300,000 Edgewood (G2) runner-up Hendy Woods; Silverton Hill's recent allowance winner and $100,000 Tepin third-place finisher Pass the Plate; Edward Seltzer and Beverly Anderson's Indiana Grand allowance winner Positive Danger; and Mary Ann Charlston's two-time winner Witez, who recently finished fourth in the Valley View.

The Mrs. Revere field from the rail out (with jockey and trainer): Hendy Woods (Tyler Gaffalione, Mark Casse); Positive Danger (Brian Hernandez Jr., Tony Granitz); Stunning Sky (Santana Jr., Maker); Princess Grace (Geroux, Stidham); How Ironic (Bejarano, Oliver); Pass the Plate (Joe Talamo, Paul McGee); and Witez (Julien Leparoux, Ian Wilkes).

The Mrs. Revere is named in tribute to the highly competitive filly who collected a total of four Churchill Downs stakes during the two-year span of 1984-85. Mrs. Revere won three stakes in total during her 3-year-old season, thus providing the appropriate name for this stakes for 3-year-old fillies on the turf. Mrs. Revere was owned by the partnership of Dr. Hiram Polk and Dr. David Richardson.

 

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