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Canadian shipper Overheard, sweeping to the lead in deep stretch, captured the $150,000 Pin Oak Valley View Stakes (gr. IIIT) while racing in the colors of the race's sponsor, Pin Oak Stable, on turf Oct. 18 at Keeneland (VIDEO).
The consistent filly defeated 11 rival 3-year-old fillies in the 1 1/16-mile test in a time of 1:43.35 over a course labeled firm for her first graded stakes victory. Ridden by Eurico Rosa da Silva for trainer Malcolm Pierce, the daughter of Macho Uno defeated Nellie Cashman by one length. The 19-10 favorite, Summer of Fun, checked in third, 2 3/4 lengths behind the winner.
A reported crowd of 19,568 turned out for College Scholarship Day on a cloudy day in Lexington, Ky.
Overheard, who has put together a career mark of 4-3-3 in 10 starts, has now banked $323,696 for Pin Oak Stable, which bred her in Kentucky out of the Thunder Gulch mare Whisper to Me.
"There was a lot of pressure today because she sponsors this race," Pierce said in reference to Josephine Abercrombie's Pin Oak operation. "We came down here (from Woodbine in Toronto) thinking we had a chance. It's a lot of fun to win.
"I knew (Overheard would) run big. I didn't know if she could win this race, but I knew she was ready to run a top race."
Racing in ninth for the opening half mile, Overheard made a good middle move from between rivals before angling out for the drive. She quickly gobbled up opponents in the homestretch on the far outside and overtook Nellie Cashman, who had forged a narrow advantage, at the sixteenth pole. She drew off late under encouragement from Da Silva.
"My trip was awesome," Da Silva said. "(I told) Malcolm before the race (that) I was concerned (about saving) some ground. He said, 'Eurico, I prefer you come outside. I think that's the best way for her to run today.' So that's what I did. I just followed his instructions. When I came home, I had a lot of horse. I was outside; I had a very clear trip. She was ready today."
Stormin Elle set a lively pace on a turf course still drying out from rains a day earlier with quarter mile fractions of :23.39, :48.26, and 1:12.83. She was collared at the eighth pole by Nellie Cashman, who closed well along the inside for Forest Boyce but could not match the winner late. Summer of Fun, guided by Joe Rocco Jr., came up short in the stretch after escaping a pocket on the far turn.
Overheard, who posted her first stakes win in the Alywow June 9 on turf at Woodbine, was coming off a runner-up finish in Woodbine's La Lorgnette Stakes Sept. 21 on Polytrack. She has won three of six starts on grass, and was second in her only previous try on the Keeneland sod in the April 13 Appalachian Stakes (gr. IIIT).
Sent off as the third choice while carrying 118 pounds, Overheard returned $12.40, $5.60 and $3.40. Nellie Cashman paid $4.80 and $4.20 as the second favorite, with Summer of Fun returning $2.80 to show. The exacta was worth $94.20 and the all-favorite trifecta was $282.80.
It was a length back to Frivolous, who was followed by Unbelievable Dream, Sustained, Stormin Elle, Yuzuru, Miss Lamour, Every Way, I O Ireland, and Hedonemewrongsong. Scratched were She's Popular and also-eligible Sense to Compete.
