Valadorna has 'trained beautifully' into Churchill Downs' Regret
Stonestreet Stables’ homebred Valadorna will attempt to maintain her top form in Saturday’s $200,000 Fleur de Lis Handicap (GII) against eight other fillies and mares over 1 1/8 miles at Churchill Downs.
“Horses come in and out of the barn all the time but this filly has such a special spot in my heart,” trainer Mark Casse’s Keeneland-based assistant, Dave Carroll, said. “She’s trained beautifully here. I think there are a couple horses in here that should show some speed so we should hopefully be able to sit a perfect trip from just off the pace.”
Valadorna, listed as the third choice on the morning line at 4-1, was the runner-up in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (GI) in 2016 and targeted the 2017 Longines Kentucky Oaks (GI) but an injury forced her to miss several months of training before returning to Carroll’s care in the late summer.
“She placed in the Breeders’ Cup (Juvenile Fillies) and now won the Doubledogdare so she’s done fairly well for herself,” Carroll said. “Obviously it would be huge if she could get it done Saturday in a Grade II but we know how difficult the race is.”
For the fourth year in a row, the Fleur de Lis is a Breeders’ Cup Challenge Series “Win and You’re In” stakes event, which means the winner will be guaranteed a berth in the $2 million Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff (GI) at Churchill Downs on Nov. 3.
The Fleur de Lis – which means “Flower of the Lily” and honors the French symbol that is incorporated into the city of Louisville’s Flag – will be run as Race 7 at 9:09 p.m. (all times Eastern). It will be televised live on NBCSN from 8:30-10 p.m.
The Fleur de Lis field from the rail out: Fuhriously Kissed (ridden by C.J. McMahon, trained by Tony Quartarolo, 115 pounds, 10-1 morning line odds); Mopotism (Mario Gutierrez, Doug O’Neill, 118, 8-1); Blue Prize (ARG) (Jose Ortiz, Ignacio Correas IV, 118, 7-2); Streamline (Chris Landeros, Brian Williamson, 116, 15-1); Song of Spring (Ricardo Santana Jr., Neil Howard, 118, 6-1); Awestruck (Irad Ortiz Jr., Rusty Arnold II, 115, 8-1); Valadorna (Brian Hernandez Jr., Casse, 118, 4-1);Apologynotaccepted (Julien Leparoux, Brendan Walsh, 117, 12-1); and Farrell (Channing Hill, Wayne Catalano, 119, 3-1).