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Valbenny scores in Senorita LGL Racing, Rita Dipietro, Michael Rosenmayer et al.'s VALBENNY (Ire) (Val Royal [Fr]) assumed her late-running position near the back of Saturday's $111,600 Senorita S. (G3) at Hollywood Park but was in front when it mattered -- at the wire. With jockey Alex Solis aboard, the Paddy Gallagher-trained three-year-old rallied down the middle of the track to finish 1 3/4 lengths clear of her nearest pursuer, completing a mile on the firm turf in 1:34 2/5. Passified (GB) (Compton Place) quickly moved to the lead when the gates opened, closely tracked by Seaside Affair (Sea of Secrets) and Super Freaky (Smart Strike) through splits of :23 2/5, :47 1/5, 1:10 4/5 and 1:22 3/5. All the while, Valbenny and Solis were content to run in midpack while just off the rail before coming out exiting the turn. Picking up momentum down the center of the turf, Valbenny easily reeled in Super Freaky, who grabbed the lead in upper stretch, and went on to earn her third stakes win. Sent off the 2-1 favorite, Valbenny was worth $6.40, $3.60 and $2.40 while keying the $12.30 exacta ($1). Super Freaky was easily best of the rest, paying $3.80 and $3 at 5-2. Passified was another 1 1/4 lengths back in third, returning $3 while ending the $38 trifecta ($1). Next under the line was Seaside Affair, who finished the $236.10 superfecta ($1) (8-4-5-9) and was followed by Macadamia (Artax), Courtwood (GB) (Noverre), Big Bertha (Ger) (Tertullian) and Honnete (Elusive Quality). Adoradora (Mr. Greeley), Forest Huntress (Forestry), Mpumalanga (GB) (Observatory) and My Little Margie (Giant's Causeway) were all scratched. Valbenny broke her maiden in Great Britain prior to shipping to the United States. She made her stateside debut at Hollywood in November, taking the Miesque S. (G3) by three parts of a length before adding Santa Anita's Blue Norther S. on New Year's Eve. The bay miss made her seasonal bow in early April, rallying from near the back of the Providencia S. (G3) to finish sixth, just 3 1/2 lengths back of the winner. She now boasts a 7-4-1-0 career mark with $187,003 in lifetime earnings. Bred in Ireland by Ken Lynch, Valbenny is out of the listed-placed Dark Indian (Indian Ridge) and sold for $13,673 as a yearling at the 2005 Goffs February Mixed Sale.
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