Making the first start of her career on turf, 43-1 longshot Daisy Devine and jockey Calvin Borel charged late to win the 21st running of the $150,000 Pin Oak Valley View (G3) before a crowd of 14,346 at Keeneland on Friday.
In
Step, the 3-1 second choice, took the lead in the 1 1/16-mile race over
a turf course listed as “yielding” with Daisy Devine racing a length
behind her. In Step led her rivals through fractions of :23.32, :47.72,
1:12.50 and a mile in 1:36.97 while the eventual winner was in closest
pursuit. Down the stretch, In Step began to surrender the lead, and
Daisy Devine took command inside the furlong marker. She then held off
the late-charging 8-5 favorite, Bizzy Caroline, to win by a half-length
in 1:43.30.
In
Step held on for third and was followed, in order, by
Holidaysatthefarm, Pinch Pie, Dynamic Holiday, Safe Crossing, Barbies M,
Christmas Cove and Maid of Heaven.
Daisy
Devine, who gave trainer Andrew McKeever his first Keeneland stakes
win, returned $89, $23.20 and $9.40. Bizzy Caroline, ridden by Manny
Cruz, paid $4 and $2.60. In Step returned $4 under jockey Garrett Gomez.
Bred
in Kentucky by J. Reiley McDonald, Daisy Devine is a daughter of
Kafwain out of the Devil’s Bag mare Devil’s Dispute. Owner James M.
Miller purchased her for $5,500 at the 2009 Keeneland September Yearling
Sale.
Victory
in the Pin Oak Valley View was worth $90,000, improving Daisy Devine’s
career earnings to $488,349 with four wins in nine starts. Earlier this
year, the filly won the Fair Grounds Oaks (G2) and was seventh in the
Kentucky Oaks (G1). She came into the Pin Oak Valley View off a
third-place finish in the Indiana Oaks on October 1.
Julien
Leparoux, who rode seventh-place finisher Safe Crossing in the Pin Oak
Valley View, won five races during the afternoon, becoming the ninth
jockey in track history to win five races on a card, and the first since
2000. Leparoux, who rode in all 10 races, won the second on Bizzee
Mizzee ($4.40), third on Birdie Beats Par ($3.80), fifth on Demure Halo
($12) eighth on Rescue Squad ($6.00) and tenth on High On Kitten
($5.80).
“It
feels great,” said Leparoux, who leads all riders during the Fall
Meeting with 22 victories. “I thought I had a good chance before the day
started. I had some good trips today. Five is great at Keeneland.”
The
Keeneland record for the most number of wins on a card by a jockey is
six, set by Randy Romero and equaled by Craig Perret during the 1990
Spring Meeting.