Despite off-the-board efforts in their last starts, Bizzy Caroline and Dynamic Holiday are among the top contenders for the $150,000 Pin Oak Valley View Stakes (gr. IIIT) Oct. 21 at Keeneland.
Both were assigned top weight of 123 pounds in the 1 1/16-mile turf race for 3-year-old fillies. A field of 12 and two also-eligibles was drawn for Keeneland’s Friday feature. Post time is set for 5:23 p.m. EDT.
Catesby Clay’s homebred Bizzy Caroline won the Regret Stakes (gr. IIIT) in June at Churchill Downs for her third consecutive victory but has been out of the money in two subsequent grade I tries, including an eighth-place finish in the Aug. 20 Del Mar Oaks (gr. IT). The daughter of Afleet Alex should benefit from a class drop and a return trip to Keeneland, where she broke her maiden on the yielding turf back in April.
Manny Cruz will ride for trainer Ken McPeek.
Augustin Stables’ homebred Dynamic Holiday won the Tropical Park Oaks, Florida Oaks, and Herecomesthebride Stakes (gr. IIIT) consecutively earlier this year in Florida but is winless in her last three. The Harlan's Holiday filly made her last turf start in the Lake Placid (gr. IIT) in August at Saratoga, finishing third by three lengths. In her most recent try she was fourth in the Sept. 25 Selene (Can-III) on the Woodbine Polytrack.
Dynamic Holiday also has a win at Keeneland, as she broke her maiden there a year ago on the main track. Edgar Prado will ride for Graham Motion.
Augustin will also send out Safe Crossing, who was runner-up in an optional claimer two weeks ago at Keeneland. Unplaced in the Hatoof Stakes at Arlington Park prior to that, like Bizzy Caroline she also scored a maiden turf victory at Keeneland in the spring.
Jonathan Sheppard will saddle Safe Crossing, a daughter of Stormy Atlantic. Augustin and Sheppard sent out Fugitive Angel to win the Valley View in 2010.
A couple of other contenders are Illinois-based Trac N Jam and grade I placed Pinch Pie. Trac N Jam, trained by Andre Hansen, won the Indiana Distaff at Indiana Downs in July, one of her three victories this year. Pinch Pie was a distant third in the Alabama (gr. I) on Saratoga’s dirt, but also has a couple of turf wins in 2011 including the Desert Vixen Stakes July 24 at Monmouth Park.
$150,000 Valley View Stakes (gr. IIIT, Race 9, 5:23 p.m.), 3YO Fillies, 1 1/16 Miles (Turf) PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer 1. Trac N Jam (KY), C J Lanerie, 117, A M Hansen
2. In Step (KY), G K Gomez, 117, K P McLaughlin
3. Smart Sting (KY), K J Desormeaux, 117, R L Attfield
4. Bizzy Caroline (KY), M R Cruz, 123, K G McPeek
5. Holidaysatthefarm (FL), F Lenclud, 117, T F Proctor
6. Safe Crossing (KY), J R Leparoux, 117, J E Sheppard
7. Diva Ash (KY), M Guidry, 117, D L Romans
8. Maid of Heaven (KY), J L Castanon, 117, K Gorder
9. Dynamic Holiday (PA), E S Prado, 123, H G Motion
10. New Normal (KY), J Graham, 117, M R Frostad
11. Daisy Devine (KY), C H Borel, 117, A McKeever
12. Pinch Pie (KY), R Albarado, 117, A W Dutrow
Also Eligibles
13. Barbies M (KY), J Alvarado, 117, A McKeever
14. Christmas Cove (KY), J L Castanon, 117, M R Matz
