One Liz collects first stakes win in Isaac Murphy

Don and Joe Cochonour’s homebred One Liz proved herself once again on the Polytrack when winning the 38th running of the $53,550 Isaac Murphy Stakes at Arlington International Racecourse. Making her second start of the season for the Cochonours, who purchased their One Liz back after she was dropped in against $10,000 claimers at Gulfstream Park last August, the Wayne Catalano trainee broke well and settled two lengths off the pace in third as S. D. Brilie’s Michele Boyce-trained Puntsville led the field under jockey Victor Santiago through splits of 22.44 and 45.55 for the first half mile.

Coming out of the turn, Jose Valdivia, Jr. asked One Liz for more, angled outside of the frontrunner and drew off to win by three lengths over the betting favorite in a final time of 1:09.58 for the six furlongs. Boyce completed the trifecta with Oak Rock Racing LLC’s My Mertie, who was fractious in the gate, but finished gamely when urged by Edgar Perez and was able to get up for third two lengths behind her stablemate.

 

“You’ve got to run where the race is,” said Catalano. “I’ve got to give Joe and his family credit for going back and claiming this filly and bringing her home and getting her ready. I mean, I was just conditioning her. Good job to those guys.”

 

It was Catalano and Valdivia’s fifth time this meet pairing up on a starter. Straight Up Smarty (May 28), Walk Tiz Way (May 29), Christian C (June 2), and Ruby Dusk (June 3) were all winners as well. One Liz was the fourth winner of the day for Valdivia, who picked up his fifth in the finale one race later.

 

“Wayne told me to ride her with a lot of confidence,” said Valdivia. “Being that we were cutting back in distance I didn’t expect her to be that close, but she caught a flyer and I was just sitting there and waiting to pounce. When I wheeled her turning for home it was a matter of how far she would win by, but she was strong. I got lucky I got the ride because Wayne had her ready to roll.”

 

2016 Isaac Murphy winner Puntsville was wheeling back two weeks after winning her seasonal debut by six lengths. Though she set similar opening fractions as she had in the May 26 allowance race, the Boyce trainee couldn’t muster enough to hold off the eventual winner in the final furlongs.

 

“I think she paid the price for being back that soon,” said Boyce. “Victor Santiago rode her well but she just didn’t quite have that ‘go’ when he asked her.”

 

One Liz paid $12.80, $3.80 and $2.60. Puntsville returned $2.40 and $2.10, while My Mertie paid $2.20. Winning for the seventh time in her 18th career start, One Liz increased her lifetime earnings to $152,986 with the winner’s share of $31,809 in purse money.

 

Church Road, Dandy Gal, and Go Lady Jay completed the order of finish. Enchanted Facts and Karla With a K were scratched.

 

 

Leading rider Jose Valdivia, Jr. turned in another strong day with five wins on Saturday’s card at Arlington International Racecourse. His first win came in the second race for Larry Rivelli aboard Patricia’s Hope LLC’s All Call ($4.60) in a last-to-first ride over the turf. Valdivia earned his second win of the day in the fifth race on Hill ‘N Dale Farm’s homebred Applesolutely True ($5.20) for Mike Stidham. He swept the remainder of the card with Antonio Meraz’s Black Angel ($6.80) for Manny Perez in the sixth, Don and Joe Cochonour’s One Liz ($12.80) for Wayne Catalano in the Isaac Murphy Stakes, and Andrews T and S Racing’s All Is Number ($10) for Gary Scherer in the finale.

 

“Riding the right horses, that’s all it takes,” said Valdivia. “I’m just a passenger more often than not. I think all the credit should go to the trainers, and my agent for putting me on these horses. I just ride with a lot of confidence. They were in the right spot and the horses were doing great. I was just the lucky recipient of a great day.”