If a large field with no standout is an appealing quality for a feature race, the Pin Oak Valley View Stakes (gr. IIIT) Oct. 22 at Keeneland sure fits the mold.
The $150,000 turf race for 3-year-old fillies drew a field of 12 with a pair of also-eligibles and by default, Irish-bred No Explaining was pegged as the 4-1 morning-line choice. The 1 1/16-mile event, which anchors Keeneland’s 10-race Friday program, is scheduled for a 5:23 p.m. EDT post.
Harlequin Ranches’ No Explaining enters the Valley View off a pair of third-place efforts in turf stakes. The daughter of Azamour missed by 1 1/4 lengths in the July 28 Lake George (gr. IIT) at Saratoga and by 2 3/4 lengths as the 3-2 favorite in the Ontario Colleen Stakes Aug. 28 at Woodbine. She came from well off the pace in both races only to fall short.
John Velazquez will take over the mount for trainer Roger Attfield.
The 123-pound high weight is Starlight Partners’ Caminadora, 32-1 upset winner of the Regret Stakes (gr. IIIT) in June at Churchill Downs. The Todd Pletcher trainee was well-beaten in her last two starts, including a 10th-place finish in the Lake George. Kent Desormeaux will have the mount this time.
In the Slips, Neon Light, and Jenny's So Great were all installed as the co-second choices at 5-1. Michael House’s California shipper In the Slips won the Blue Norther Stakes in her 3-year-old debut in January at Santa Anita Park and missed by only 1 1/2 lengths when third in the grade II Providencia in April on the same course. Garrett Gomez will be in the irons for Gregory Fox.
Lady Shelia Stable’s Neon Light was a group III winner as a juvenile in Germany and was seventh but beaten only 2 1/4 lengths in the Lake George—which was her North American debut. The Refuse to Bend filly will be ridden by Keeneland’s leading rider Julien Leparoux for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin.
Bill and Vicki Poston’s Jenny’s So Great won Woodbine’s Carotene Stakes last out going nine furlongs on the turf. The daughter of Greatness will be making her first start outside of Canada in her 16th lifetime start.
Another contender is Persuading from the barn of Dale Romans. The Broken Vow filly won an allowance race at Saratoga this summer and came back to run a solid fourth in the grade I Garden City Stakes on Belmont’s yielding turf course in September.
$1500,000 Pin Oak Valley View (gr. IIIT, Race 9, 5:23 p.m.), 3YO Fillies, 1 1/16 Miles (Turf) PP. Horse, Jockey, Weight, Trainer 1. Silent Candy (KY), M C Baze, 117, A M Hansen, 20/1
2. Blackwell (KY), J Graham, 117, T E Hamm, 20/1
3. Fugitive Angel (PA), A R Napravnik, 121, J E Sheppard, 6/1
4. Jenny's So Great (ON), J C Ferrer, 117, G de Gannes, 5/1
5. Crescenda (FL), R Maragh, 117, M K McDonald, 12/1
6. Millennia (FL), R Albarado, 117, R W Werner, 20/1
7. In the Slips (KY), G K Gomez, 119, G Fox, 5/1
8. No Explaining (IRE), J R Velazquez, 117, R L Attfield, 4/1
9. Ice Mist (MD), J L Castanon, 117, B S Flint, 10/1
10. Caminadora (KY), K J Desormeaux, 123, T A Pletcher, 12/1
11. Persuading (KY), M Mena, 117, D L Romans, 8/1
12. Neon Light (GER), J R Leparoux, 117, K P McLaughlin, 5/1
Also Eligibles:
13. Silver La Belle (KY), S Bridgmohan, 117, D Stewart, 30/1
14. Stars to Shine (KY), 117, M R Frostad, 30/1
