Keeneland | Horse Racing Free Tips

Stunning Sky Rallies Late To Capture Valley View Stakes

Paradise Farms Corp. and Parkland Thoroughbreds' Stunning Sky rallied from far off the pace to catch Princess Grace in deep stretch and pull away to a half-length victory in the 30th running of the $150,000 Pin Oak Valley View (G3) for 3-year-old fillies Friday afternoon at Keeneland.

Trained by Mike Maker and ridden by Ricardo Santana Jr., Stunning Sky covered 1 1/16 miles on a firm turf course in 1:41.33. The clocking broke the stakes record of 1:41 2/5 established by Spinning Round in 1992.

“She broke pretty good,” Santana said. “The pace was pretty hot. The race set up perfectly for her. Turning for home, she switched leads to her right leg. She gave me everything she had.”

Outburst (GB) led the field of 10 through early fractions of :22.71, :46.23 and 1:10.50 with Walk In Marrakesh (IRE) just in back of her to the outside through the early running as Stunning Sky raced at the back of the pack with How Ironic.

In the stretch, Princess Grace swept past the leaders on the outside and opened a daylight advantage by the eighth pole. Stunning Sky, third from last at the head of the stretch, swung widest of all and was able to overtake Princess Grace in the final 20 yards.

“I was very pleased with the fractions,” Maker said. “The race didn't shape up the way I thought it would, but I left it in Ricardo (Santana Jr.)'s hands, and he rode a great race. She ran some game races, unlucky to lose, at Saratoga. Very deserving. Such a big, classy filly. I like to get a stakes win for (co-owner) Peter Proscia.”

A Keeneland sales graduate, Stunning Sky is a Kentucky-bred daughter of Declaration of War out of the Unbridled's Song mare Sky Walk. The victory was worth $90,000 and boosted her earnings to $304,825 with a record of 11-3-2-1. It is her first stakes victory.

Stunning Sky paid $13.80, $6.40 and $4.80. Princess Grace, ridden by Shaun Bridgmohan, returned $9.40 and $7.20 with How Ironic rallying from last and finishing another half-length back in third under Rafael Bejarano and paying $10.60 to show.

It was another 2½ lengths back to Witez, who was followed in order by favored Duopoly, Outburst, Sugar Fix, Antoinette, Walk In Marrakesh and Pranked.

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Classic Plans: Tiz The Law Will Have Two Works At Keeneland Ahead Of Breeders’ Cup

Sackatoga Stable's New York-bred Tiz the Law recorded his final breeze over the Belmont Park main track on Friday in preparation for the Grade 1, $6 million Breeders' Cup Classic on Nov. 7 at Keeneland Race Course. He registered six furlongs in 1:12.26 over a fast track.

Tiz the Law, who will ship to Keeneland by van on Sunday to continue his Breeders' Cup preparations, stepped foot onto the track just after 6:30 a.m. under overcast skies and a sliver of daylight, accompanied by stablemate and three-time winning filly Niko's Dream [five furlongs in 1:01.05] with trainer Barclay Tagg looking on from his pony.

Under exercise rider Heather Smullen, Tiz the Law went in company with Niko's Dream before drawing away at the top of the lane. He recorded splits of 13.07, 24.84, 36.43, and 47.63 before galloping out seven furlongs in 1:25.46 and one mile in 1:40.05.

“He just goes out there and does his job,” Smullen said. “He was on the bridle, breaking off of her [Niko's Dream] and then he decided 'Well, it's time to finish up' and he just went on away from her. He does everything you expect a good horse to do.”

Tagg's partner and longtime assistant, Robin Smullen, said she was very happy with the work.

“We wanted him to settle next to [Niko's Dream], which he did,” Smullen said. “They went the first three-eighths in 36 and 4. He galloped out seven-eighths in 1:25. He pulled up great, cooled out well.”

The move was the four-time Grade 1 winner's fourth work since finishing second in the Grade 1 Kentucky Derby last month, where he finished three-quarters of a length to Authentic. He scored in his prior four starts this season in dominant fashion beginning with the Grade 3 Holy Bull and Grade 1 Florida Derby, both at Gulfstream Park. Tiz the Law then posted a sensational 3 ¾-length victory in the Grade 1 Belmont Stakes on June 20, where he became the first state bred to win the American Classic in 138 years, and followed with a triumph by 5 ½ lengths in Grade 1 Runhappy Travers on August 8 at Saratoga.

With three weeks out from the Breeders' Cup Classic, Tiz the Law will complete his final serious preparation for the classic-distance event at Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky, where this year's event is scheduled to be held from November 6-7.

Smullen said Tiz the Law tends to run better when he has time to get acclimated to new surroundings.

“He seems like he's at his best when he does,” Smullen said. “His best race was at Saratoga and we were there for a few weeks before we actually ran in the Travers, and that was his best race by far. In Florida, he had to ship down to Gulfstream [from Palm Meadows Training Center] and we breezed him there. His first race was good, but the Florida Derby was better.

“His second race going over the track was better,” she added. “We didn't take him back down to breeze him. We kept him at Palm Meadows. Looking at it from that standpoint this far out from what we know now, his best races are when he has a couple of works over the track. We discussed that and decided the best we could possibly do for him is give him two works over that track.”

Smullen praised Tiz the Law for his intelligence and being able to place himself right where he needs to be, building a rapport with jockey Manny Franco.

“If you watch his replay in the Belmont, Manny is just sitting there and leaves him alone. If he breaks and he's good, he'll place himself,” Smullen said. “He's not grabbing, he's not rank, he's going to place himself where he's comfortable and Manny is smart enough to see what's going on. If it's real slow and Tiz automatically moves up, you're not going to say 'Hey, I don't want you to move,' you're going to sit there because Tiz is just going to be running his race.

“From a jockey's standpoint, he's got to be one of the easiest horses to ride,” Smullen continued. He always puts you where you need to be. We'll just have to see what our post is and take it from there, but I think he's tactical enough where he can do whatever he wants to do.”

A $110,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred Yearling Sale, the Constitution bay has amassed $2,615,300 in purse earnings. Bred in the Empire State by Twin Creeks Farm, Tiz the Law is out of the graded stakes winning Tiznow mare Tizfiz.

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Weekend Lineup Presented By Del Mar Ship & Win: Woodbine In The Spotlight

Woodbine grabs the spotlight this weekend as the Ontario track hosts two Grade 1 contests over its renowned turf course in the E.P. Taylor and the Northern Dancer Turf Stakes on Sunday. Belmont Park also has a pair of graded stakes on tap for Sunday that will be televised on “America's Day at the Races” on FS2.

“American's Day at the Races” will also have a special Saturday morning broadcast on FS2 that will showcase British Champions Day from Ascot Racecourse in England. Saturday's broadcast will air on FS2 from 8:30-11a.m. ET and feature four classic Group 1 turf races, headlined by the £750,000 QIPCO Champion Stakes and the £650,000 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes, sponsored by QIPCO. Post time for the Group 1 QIPCO Champion Stakes for 3-year-olds and up at 10 furlongs will be 10:40 a.m. with the Group 1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes set for 10:05 a.m.

Racing at Keeneland, Santa Anita, and other tracks will be featured on TVG as part of its coast-to-coast coverage. International racing will also continue on Saturday on TVG with the prestigious Champions Day with coverage beginning at 8:30 a.m. ET. The star-studded day of racing will include six events including the Long Distance Gold Cup, which will feature Stradivarius (IRE) making his fourth appearance in the race.

Friday, Oct. 16

5:30 p.m.—$150,000 Grade 3 Valley View Stakes Keeneland on TVG

Godolphin's Antoinette, winner of the Saratoga Oaks Invitational and recently runner-up in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational, tops the field for the 30th running of Valley View, run at 1 1/16 miles on the Keeneland turf course. Trained by Bill Mott, the homebred daughter of Hard Spun will be ridden Friday by Manny Franco and break from post position 12. Headlining the competition to Antoinette is Walk In Marrakesh (IRE), who came within a nostril of winning the Grade 2 Appalachian Stakes in July.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KEE101620USA9-EQB.html

Saturday, Oct. 17

5:30 p.m.—$200,000 Grade 2 Raven Run Stakes at Keeneland on TVG

Grade 2 winner Venetian Harbor headlines a deep field of 10 3-year-old fillies for the 22nd running of the Raven Run, contested at seven furlongs. Trained by Richard Baltas, Venetian Harbor will be making her first start since finishing second to Gamine in the Grade 1 Test Stakes at Saratoga on Aug. 8. Prior to that, she had finished second to Speech in the Grade 1 Ashland Stakes here and to Swiss Skydiver in the Grade 3 Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn Park with both those races being two-turn tests going 1 1/16 miles.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KEE101720USA9-EQB.html

8:15 p.m.—$100,000 Grade 3 Autumn Miss Stakes at Santa Anita Park on TVG

A four-time stakes winner in search of her first graded victory, California-bred Warren's Showtime heads a field of seven sophomore fillies going one mile on turf in the Autumn Miss Stakes. Owned by Ben and Sally Warren and bred by Ben Warren, Warren's Showtime was most recently a close third in the Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks and is the leading money earner in the field with $460,251.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SA101720USA9-EQB.html

Sunday, Oct. 18

1:28 p.m.—$150,000 Grade 2 Knickerbocker Stakes at Belmont Park on FS2

After running second in last year's edition, the Chad Brown-trained Olympico (FR) will get another chance to earn a trip to the winner's circle when he competes as part of a five-horse field in the Knickerbocker for 3-year-olds and up going 1 1/8 miles on the inner turf. The Knickerbocker was originally scheduled for the Oct. 12 holiday card but was moved to due to inclement weather. That provided Olympico with a few days of extra rest as he makes his first appearance since running fifth in the 1 1/16-mile Lure on September 7 at Saratoga Race Course.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/BEL101820USA3-EQB.html

3:29 p.m.—$300,000 Grade 1 Northern Dancer Turf Stakes at Woodbine on TVG

Trainer Gail Cox will look to net the stakes double with Count Again in the Northern Dancer Turf Stakes. The lightly raced five-year-old son of Awesome Again has been impressive over his six lifetime outings. On Sept. 19, the bay gelding, despite being heavily steadied into the far turn, drove to the front outside of the eighth-pole and secured a 1 ¼ length win in the Grade 3 Singspiel Stakes. It was the first stakes engagement for Count Again, who Cox is counting on once again to come up big on the Woodbine grass.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/WO101820CAN5-EQB.html

4:37 p.m.—$300,000 Grade 1 E.P. Taylor Stakes at Woodbine on TVG

Trainer Gail Cox has a trio of talented turfers taking up the Sam-Son Farm charge, namely, Rideforthecause in the E.P. Taylor, as well as Count Again and Say the Word in the Northern Dancer. A four-year-old daughter of Candy Ride (ARG), Rideforthecause rolls into the E.P. Taylor off two straight scores, both of them contested at Woodbine. After an allowance victory at 1 1/16 miles on the Toronto oval Inner Turf on Aug. 1, the bay was back in the winner's circle on Sept. 12, winning the Canadian Stakes presented by the Japan Racing Association (G2) at the distance of about 1 1/8 miles on the E.P. Taylor Turf Course.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/WO101820CAN7-EQB.html

4:47 p.m.—$150,000 Grade 2 Hill Prince Stakes at Belmont Park on FS2

West Point Thoroughbreds, William Sandbrook, William Freeman and Cheryl Manning's Decorated Invader will see a cutback in distance when competing against fellow sophomores in the 46th running of the Hill Prince going one mile over the Widener turf. Trained by Christophe Clement, Decorated Invader arrives off a fifth-place finish in the Saratoga Derby on Aug. 15. The Saratoga Derby was the first loss of the year for Decorated Invader, who captured the Cutler Bay on March 28 at Gulfstream Park in his 2020 bow before winning the Grade 2 Pennine Ridge on June 20 at Belmont Park and the Grade 2 National Museum of Racing Hall of Fame on July 18 at Saratoga.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/BEL101820USA9-EQB.html

4:57 p.m.—$125,000 Grade 3 Dowager Stakes at Keeneland on TVG

Calumet Farm's Siberian Iris (IRE), second against the boys this summer in the Grade 3 San Juan Capistrano at Santa Anita, tops a field of six fillies and mares in the 1 ½-miles Dowager. Trained by Richard Mandella, Siberian Iris stayed at Keeneland following a fifth-place finish in the TVG Stakes at Kentucky Downs on Sept. 15.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/KEE101820USA8-EQB.html

5:45 p.m.—$250,000 Grade 2 Nearctic Stakes at Woodbine on TVG

A field of nine headed up by multiple graded stakes winner Silent Poet are set to contest the Nearctic going six furlongs on the turf. Silent Poet has won three of his last four starts and enters off of an allowance win at Woodbine on Sept. 27. Among the top challengers are defending Nearctic winner City Boy.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/WO101820CAN9-EQB.html

8 p.m.—$200,000 Grade 2 Twilight Derby at Santa Anita Park on TVG

Cannon Thoroughbreds homebred Smooth Like Strait returns to Southern California and will try to stretch his speed to 1 1/8-miles on turf as he heads a field of nine sophomores in the Twilight Derby. A resounding 2 ½ length winner of the Grade 2 La Jolla Handicap two starts back, Smooth Like Strait, who is trained by Michael McCarthy, finished fourth as the 6-5 favorite in the Grade 2 American Turf at Churchill Downs on Sept. 5 and will likely vie for favoritism with midwestern invader Field Pass.

Entries: https://www.equibase.com/static/entry/SA101820USA9-EQB.html

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Keeneland, International Racing Highlight Weekend Coverage From TVG

TVG, America's horse racing network and leading ADW platform, will be bringing graded stakes races from Keeneland into the homes of horse racing fans throughout the country this weekend with live coverage all weekend featuring graded stakes races Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

At Keeneland, TVG will be live on site all weekend with Todd Schrupp, Scott Hazelton, Caleb Keller, Gabby Gaudet and Caton Bredar bringing behind-the-scenes coverage, selections and interviews to viewers watching from home. Friday's featured event is the $150,000 Pin Oak Valley View Stakes (G3) which has drawn a field of twelve sophomore fillies to compete at a mile and a sixteenth on the turf. The field includes rising turf star Antoinette, winner of the Saratoga Oaks Invitational Stakes for Bill Mott.

Three-year-old fillies will take the spotlight on Saturday as the $200,000 Lexus Raven Run Stakes (G2) anchors the ten-race card. The seven furlong contest has drawn a field of ten including Venetian Harbor, the 7-5 morning line favorite for trainer Richard Baltas. A daughter of Munnings, she has been second in her last three races against graded stakes competition and will have Manuel Franco in the irons.

On Sunday, the main event is the $125,000 Rood & Riddle Dowager (G3) which will be contested at a mile and a half on the turf. Keeneland's Fall Meet will conclude on Saturday, Oct. 24 and the track will host the Breeders' Cup on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 6-7.

At Santa Anita, the award-winning network will have Christina Blacker, Mike Joyce and Britney Eurton live at the track with analysis, interviews and selections. Simon Bray will be contributing to the broadcast remotely from home. The featured race on Saturday is the $100,000 Autumn Miss Stakes (G3) for 3-year-old fillies going one mile on the turf. California-bred Warren's Showtime tops the field of seven for trainer Craig Lewis and will have Flavien Prat in the irons as she tries to notch her fourth win of the year.

On Friday night, fans of international racing can tune in for the $15 million Everest Cup (G1) from Australia which has the distinction of being the richest turf race in the world. Held at Randwick Racecourse, the coverage will be anchored by Candice Hare in-studio with Jason Witham reporting from Australia.

International racing will continue on Saturday with the prestigious Champions Day from Ascot. International expert Candice Hare will be in studio hosting the coverage which will begin at 8:30 a.m. ET. The star-studded day of racing will include six events including the Long Distance Gold Cup (G2) which will feature Stradivarius (IRE) who will be making his fourth appearance in this race. He won it in 2018 for trainer John Gosden and was second last year.

In addition to racing from Keeneland and Santa Anita, TVG will also be showing racing from Gulfstream Park West, Woodbine and more.

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