Sacred Wish (Not This Time) was something other than a failure on the main track, with placings in the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks–in her first start following a private acquisition by a partnership group headed up by Black Type Thoroughbreds and Swinbank Stable–and a near miss behind Wet Paint (Blame) in the GI CCA Oaks in July. The dark bay never reached contention in the GI Alabama S. after some problems getting out of the gate and tried the turf for the first time in the Sept. 15 Winter Memories S. at Aqueduct. She took to it beautifully, coming away late to score comfortably and looks to have trained on strongly since.

Klaravich Stable homebred Surge Capacity (Flintshire {GB}) is the 3-1 favorite on the morning line and with good reason, as she won Saratoga's GIII Lake George S. at second asking July 21, where she had Secret Money (Good Samaritan) back in third, and was second best to stablemate Aspray (Quality Road) in the GII Lake Placid S. Aug. 19. Secret Money did her part to flatter the Lake George form when edging next-out Glen Cove S. winner Danse Macabre (Army Mule) in the 6 1/2-furlong GIII Music City S. at Kentucky Downs Sept. 2.

Trainer Jessica Harrington sends in Moyglare Stud homebred Eternal Silence (War Front) for her U.S. debut. Third to the recently retired Tahiyra (Ire) (Siyouni {Fr}) in the Group 1 stakes sponsored by her owner last fall, the bay won her maiden by 11 lengths going a mile a Naas June 28 and exits a fourth in listed company at Killarney the following month. Shane Foley ships in to ride.

So rich in quality is the Valley View that three fillies that have already struck at the graded level are no better than bit players. The rail-drawn Heavenly Sunday (Candy Ride {Arg}) wired Churchill's GII Edgewood S. May 5, while Safeen (War Front) picked up her graded score in the GIII Pucker Up S. at Ellis in August. The most intriguing of this trio is Abundancia (California Chrome), a Group 2 winner on the dirt in Peru and Group 1 placed on both surfaces.

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Winner of the GIII Florida Oaks in her U.S. debut in March, the bay was runner-up to future GISW Spendarella (Karakontie {Jpn}) in this track's course-and-distance GII Appalachian S. Apr. 9 and got a bit of a freshening following a third in Churchill's GIII Edgewood S. May 6. Back to winning ways in the GII Lake George S. at Saratoga July 22, Dolce Zel and five others were undressed by front-running stablemate Haughty (Empire Maker) in the GII Lake Placid S. Aug. 20 and settled for second. Irad Ortiz, Jr., the only rider she's known in this country, is back in the irons.

California Angel (California Chrome) caused a 17-1 upset in the GII Jessamine S. at this venue 54 weeks ago and is winless in six subsequent tries, though she has not run poorly. Runner-up in the Mar. 12 LaCombe Memorial S. at the Fair Grounds, the chestnut returned from a six-month vacation to be third in the Sept. 5 Dueling Grounds Oaks, whose runner-up Skims (GB) (Frankel {GB}) returned to win the GII Sands Point S. at Aqueduct. She backs up on 13 days' rest, having been beaten just two lengths into fourth behind Dolce Zel's stablemate Gina Romantica (Into Mischief) in the GI QE II Cup.

Bubble Rock (More Than Ready) was among the best turf sprinters of her generation last season, with a victory in the GIII Matron S. The Shortleaf homebred proved she could handle a route of ground when taking out the one-mile Cincinnati Trophy over the Turfway all-weather in March and she was surely in need of the run when a weakening sixth in the 6 1/2-furlong Music City S. at Kentucky Downs Sept. 13.

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Running away to a 3 1/2-length score first out on the Ellis turf last summer, the gray repeated by 3 3/4 lengths in the Runhappy Debutante S. on dirt there to earn 'TDN Rising Star' honors before recording runner-up finishes in the GIII Pocahontas S., GI Darley Alcibiades S. and GII Davona Dale S. Back in the winner's circle after a score in the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks, the $250,000 Fasig-Tipton October grad has added victories in the GII Summertime Oaks, GIII Delaware Oaks and last out in the Seneca Overnight S. Oct. 1 at Churchill.

A fellow 'Rising Star', Tobys Heart (Jack Milton) is looking for her third stakes triumph and first going a route of ground. A dominant 6 3/4-length debut maiden winner despite early trouble last June at Churchill, the $45,000 OBS March bargain backed that up with a success in Saratoga's Bolton Landing S. and annexed the Limestone Turf Sprint S. over this course Apr. 9. Winless in her next three starts, she was last seen cruising to a 2 3/4-length victory with a field-high 92 Beyer in the Nelson's Green Brier Whiskey Music City S. over 6 1/2 furlongs at Kentucky Downs Sept. 12.

It speaks to the depth of this field that an undefeated Grade I winner in Lady Speightspeare (Speightstown) is pegged at 10-1 on the morning line. Also earning a 'Rising Star' badge thanks to a 3 3/4-length score debuting at seven furlongs on the Woodbine grass last August, the Chuck Fipke homebred validated that distinction with a conquest of the GI Natalma S. as the favorite less than a month later. Forced to the bench for nearly a year, the chestnut returned to capture a Woodbine allowance/optional claimer by two lengths over this distance Sept. 6.

Streaking Queenship (Ire) (Excelebration {Ire}) adds European flair to the field, making her North American debut for trainer Joseph O'Brien. Third at 14-1 when unveiled over six furlongs on all-weather last November at Dundalk in Ireland, the bay graduated by a head when stretching out a furlong there next out and took a handicap event by five lengths in her first turf try Apr. 7 at Gorwan Park. Facing males in her initial stakes attempt, she scored a half-length victory in the Navigaton S. Sept. 28 at Cork.

Another recent Euro import rates a big chance in Breaker of Chains (Bernardini). Third after a slow break debuting over a mile July 18 at The Curragh, the $30,000 Keeneland November buy improved a spot against males over nine furlongs on soft ground at Leopardstown Aug. 5 and rallied from last to first for an impressive maiden win with an 89 Beyer Sept. 11 at Kentucky Downs.

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The Rubicon Valley View, a 1 1/16-mile turf stakes for 3-year-old fillies, is named for Kentucky's oldest recorded commercial business, the Valley View Ferry, which has operated since 1785. The ferry crosses the Kentucky River to connect Fayette and Madison counties. Stunning Sky (Declaration of War) won the most recent edition of the race, formerly known as the Pin Oak Valley View S., in 2020.

“Keeneland is proud to have Rubicon join as sponsor of the Valley View,” Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin said. “The stakes sponsorship is a new dimension of the association between Keeneland and Rubicon, which began in December 2020 when Keeneland named Rubicon as its exclusive waste, recycling, and sustainability partner.”

Rubicon also becomes the presenting sponsor of Heroes Day, to be held Sunday, Oct. 24. Keeneland honors military, first responders, and health care workers with activities and recognitions throughout the day. The Fall Meet continues through Saturday, Oct. 30.

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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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