Team Valor acquires majority interest in Visionaire

A majority interest in promising sophomore VISIONAIRE (Grand Slam) was

purchased this week by Barry Irwin of Team Valor from Vision Sales LLC. The

chestnut sophomore dominated a field of his peers by 5 1/2 lengths in a mile

allowance at Gulfstream Park on January 4.

"We are very happy to be associated with a colt like this and obviously hope

he is Triple Crown material," Irwin said. "Brandon Perry and John Stephens have

done a great job in selecting the colt at Keeneland and getting him ready for

Michael Matz."

Visionaire improved from a

runner-up effort sprinting in his debut at Delaware Park to win his next two

outings. Both events, a maiden race at Laurel and a first-level allowance at Gulfstream, were contested at one-turn miles. In the latter race, Visionaire

displayed a smart turn of foot coming into the stretch to put away his

rivals for Matz, who will continue to condition the colt for Team Valor and

Vision Racing.

Out of the stakes-placed French Deputy mare Scarlet Tango, Visionaire

commanded a winning bid of $300,000 from Vision Sales as a yearling at the Fasig-Tipton

Saratoga sale in August 2006. He went through the auction ring twice as a

two-year-old in training last year, led out as an RNA for $90,000 at Fasig-Tipton

Calder, but was listed as sold to Vision Racing for $220,000 at the OBS June

sale.

From his three starts so far, Visionaire has earned $48,260.