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Fugitive can't be caught in Valley View
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| Fugitive Angel ran up her fourth straight victory when taking the Valley View
(Keeneland/Coady Photography) |
Blessed in recent years with champions Forever Together (Belong to Me) and
Informed Decision (Monarchos), owner-breeder George Strawbridge and trainer
Jonathan Sheppard could have another good one on their hands in the
three-year-old turf filly FUGITIVE ANGEL (Alphabet Soup), who turned in a
sparkling effort to win Friday's $150,000
Valley
View S. (G3) at Keeneland.
Unhurried in 10th in the field of 12, Fugitive Angel was as many as 10 1/2
lengths behind 20-1 chance Ice Mist (Forest Danger), who held a comfortable lead
of 2-3 lengths through splits of :23 3/5, :48, and 1:13 2/5. Ice Mist still had
a lot left in the tank through the straight, but not enough to fend off Fugitive
Angel, who exploded through the lane to win going away by 3 3/4 lengths. She
finished up the 1 1/16-mile, firm-turf test in 1:44 under Rosie Napravnik.
Fugitive Angel, the 9-2 third choice, paid $11.60, $7.40 and $4.80. Ice Mist
held second by a length, returning $17.80 and $7.80. No Explaining (Ire) (Azamour
[Ire]), the 3-1 second choice who tracked in fourth most of the way, got up for
the show and produced a $3.60 mutuel. The exacta paid $226.80, the trifecta
$1,173.20, and the 3-9-8-11 superfecta with 12-1 chance Persuading (Broken Vow)
$11,074.
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Persuading was followed under the line by In the Slips (More Than Ready),
Millennia (Milwaukee Brew), Crescenda (Bowman's Band), Jenny's So Great
(Greatness), Silent Candy (Candy Ride [Arg]), 5-2 choice Neon Light (Ger)
(Refuse to Bend), Caminadora (More Than Ready) and Blackwell (Came Home). Silver
La Belle (Langfuhr) and Stars to Shine (Tale of the Cat) failed to draw in from
the also-eligible list.
Once placed in three starts at two for trainer Graham Motion, Fugitive Angel
was transferred this year to Jonathan Sheppard for whom she's undefeated in four
starts. After a maiden turf win at Colonial Downs in June, Fugitive Angel landed
both the Russian Rhythm S. on turf at Penn National and Malvern Rose S. at
Presque Isle Downs, the latter by 7 1/4 lengths on Tapeta. Both stakes were
restricted to Pennsylvania-breds. Her record now reads 7-4-1-0, $203,147.
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| Fugitive Angel left her rivals far behind in the Valley View
(Keeneland/Coady Photography) |
Fugitive Angel was produced by the unraced Screening (Unbridled), a
half-sister to Grade 2-placed stakes winners Smart Bid (Smart Strike) and Deal
Making (Empire Maker) as well as Swiss stakes winner Representing (Rahy). All
were produced by Grade 3 winner Recording (Danzig), who in turn was produced by
the Grade 2-winning Ratings (Caveat). Screening has also had a yearling filly by
Harlan's Holiday and a weanling filly by Posse.
The Valley View was the eighth graded stakes victory at Keeneland for
Strawbridge, whose nom de course is Augustin Stable. As a result, he earned a
gold tray as part of Keeneland's unique gold trophy program. Only 15 other
owners in Keeneland history have earned a gold tray.
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"He never mentioned it to me. However, last weekend he seemed slightly
frustrated when we had two very close (races) and didn't quite get there. Now I
think I know why," Sheppard said
"I am very happy for him," Sheppard said of the man for whom he's trained for
more than 40 years. "He's put a lot into the game and I know (Keeneland) is one
of his favorite tracks and it is great he could do this here. He's a great owner
and has been very good for the sport."
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