An overflow group of 24 3-year-old fillies passed the entry box
Tuesday morning, forcing Keeneland officials to split Friday’s 22nd running of the $125,000 Pin Oak Valley View (G3) into divisions for the second time in the race’s history.
The 1 1/16-mile grass test was split into two divisions in 2009.
The first division of the Pin Oak Valley View will go as the seventh
race on Friday’s 10-race program with a 4:17 p.m. (ET) post time. The
second division goes as the ninth race at 5:21 p.m. First post time
Friday is 1:05 p.m.
Highlighting the first division are Grade 3 turf winners Volcat and Colonial Flag, along with Italian Group 1 winner Nayarra (IRE).
Landaluce Educe Stables’ Volcat, trained by Ken McPeek, won the
Virginia Oaks (G3) in July at Colonial Downs and in her most recent
start finished third, beaten a neck in the Pucker Up (G3) at Arlington
Park on September 15. Robby Albarado, who was aboard for the victory at
Colonial, has the mount Friday on Volcat who will break from post
position two.
W.S. Farish, George Prussin and Skara Glen Stables’ Colonial Flag,
trained by Michael Matz, won the Ontario Colleen (G3) at Woodbine in her
most recent start on August 25. Joe Rocco Jr. has the mount Friday on
Colonial Flag who will exit post position six.
A.A. Faisal’s Nayarra (IRE) won the Gran Criterium (G1) at Milan as a
2-year-old. Now trained by Graham Motion, Nayarra (IRE) finished
seventh in the American Oaks (G1) at Hollywood Park in her U.S. debut in
July and most recently was third in the Given Stakes at Belmont on
September 20. Kent Desormeaux has the mount and will break from post
position four.
Three Grade 3 turf winners top the second division: Leading Astray, More Than Love and Dancing Solo.
Team Block’s Leading Astray, a winner of five of six turf starts that
includes a victory in the Pucker Up (G3) at Arlington in her most
recent start, is trained by Chris Block. E.E. Perez, who has been aboard
for all of the filly’s starts, has the call and will break from post
position nine.
Newtown Anner Stud’s More Than Love, winner of the Miesque (G3) at
Hollywood Park last fall, makes her first start since the Edgewood in
May at Churchill Downs. Trained by John Terranova, More Than Love will
be ridden by Miguel Mena and break from post position 10.
Twin Creeks Racing Stable’s Dancing Solo, winner of the Boiling
Springs (G3) at Monmouth in June, is trained by Todd Pletcher. Corey
Lanerie has the mount on Dancing Solo who will break from post position
12.
The field for the first division of Pin Oak Valley View, from the inside out, is as follows: Closing Range (Jon Court, 118 pounds), Volcat (Robby Albarado, 122), Zapper Belle (Corey Lanerie, 118), Nayarra (IRE) (Kent Desormeaux, 118), Medolina (Rosie Napravnik, 118), Colonial Flag (Joe Rocco Jr., 122), Ann of the Dance (Jeffrey Sanchez, 118), Angel Terrace (James Graham, 118), Miss Cato (GB) (Gabriel Saez, 118), Cosmic Energy (Jesus Castanon, 120), Run a Risk (Paco Lopez, 118) and Alaura Michele (Eddie Castro, 118).
The field for the second division of the Pin Oak Valley View, from the inside out, is as follows: Miz Ida (Shaun Bridgmohan, 118 pounds), Daylight Ride (Rosie Napravnik, 118), Welcome Dance (Julien Leparoux, 118), Pianist (Javier Castellano, 120), Zucchini Flower (Joe Rocco Jr., 118), English Class (Elvis Trujillo, 118), Fine Silver (Paco Lopez, 118), Freedom Reigns (IRE) (James Graham, 118), Leading Astray (E.E. Perez, 122), More Than Love (Miguel Mena, 118), Temper in Command (Jesus Castanon, 118) and Dancing Solo (Corey Lanerie, 122).