Quidura clearly best in Valley View
Gestut Faerhof’s Quidura (GB) grabbed the lead at the three-sixteenths pole and had enough left in the tank to turn back a challenge from Linda by 1¼ lengths to win the 26th running of the Pin Oak Valley View (G3) for 3-year-old fillies before a Friday afternoon crowd of 14,859.
Trained by Graham Motion and ridden by Junior Alvarado, Quidura covered the 1 1/16 miles on a turf course labeled as soft in 1:45.86.
Motion became the first trainer to win the Pin Oak Valley View in consecutive years, having won in 2015 with Tiger Ride. He also recorded his fourth graded stakes victory of the Fall Meet.
Sky My Sky led the field through fractions of :24.36 and :49.70 as Alvarado had Quidura racing in fourth and in the clear. On the far turn, My Impression went after the leader with Quidura right behind with that duo hitting the top of the stretch running 1-2.
Quidura took over in upper stretch and gradually opened up to secure her second victory in two U.S. starts and third in four career outings. The $90,000 winner’s check boosted her earnings to $141,777.
By Dubawi, Quidura is out of the Acatenango mare Quetena.
Sent off as the third choice in the field of 12, Quidura rewarded her backers with mutuels of $9.80, $5.40 and $3.60. Linda, ridden by Brian Hernandez Jr., returned $8.40 and $4.80 with My Impression finishing another two lengths back in third under Jose Ortiz and paying $3 to show.
Crooked Stick finished fourth another half-length back and was followed in order by Nobody’s Fault, Sweet Tapper, Outsider Art, Cheekaboo, favored Azaelia (FR), Leafy Shade (IRE), Nawlins Kitty and Sky My Sky.
Racing continues Saturday with a 10-race program beginning at 1:05 p.m. ET. Highlighting the card is the $250,000 Lexus Raven Run (G2) for 3-year-old fillies going seven furlongs on the main track.
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Keeneland will offer a $350,000 Guaranteed Late Pick 4 on Saturday. The wager begins with Race 7. The Lexus Raven Run (G2) is Race 9.
Source: Keeneland Association