Randaroo Shows Her Heels in Valley Stream

Heavy favorite Randaroo, with John Velazquez aboard, led from a few yards out of the gate to the wire to register a convincing victory in Sunday's $111,300 Valley Stream Stakes (gr. III) for 2-year-old fillies at Aqueduct.

Making her second career start, the daughter of Gold Case finished about five lengths in front House Party in a winning time of 1:09 2/5 for six furlongs on a fast track.

Sent off at 4-5, Randaroo outsprinted Parting for the early lead in a :22 3/5 opening quarter and maintained the advantage over Fast Cookie through a :45 3/5 half-mile. She increased her lead as they hit the stretch, shaking off Fast Cookie in a five-furlong split of :57 2/5. She drew off as House Party ran on for second. Fast Cookie was third in the nine-horse field.

"Man she's fast," said Velazquez. "I couldn't believe how quickly she got out of the gate. She's got great early speed, and she can give you another gear when you call on her. I was thinking to myself, 'man this is easy.'" This filly is very, very good."

Randaroo won her second in a row for owners William Hurwitz and Win & Place Stable, picking up $60,000 for the victory to improve her career earnings to $90,000. Bred in Kentucky by Dennis Drazen, she was purchased as a yearling for $75,000 in the Fasig-Tipton July sale.

Trained by Anthony Dutrow, Randaroo broke her maiden at Delaware Park Oct. 23 by 10 1/4 lengths, going 5 1/2 furlongs in 1:04 3/5.

"Here's an easy quote: 'as advertised,'" said winning trainer Anthony Dutrow. I came up here hoping she wouldn't regress off her first race. At the same time, you can't help but be confident in what you're seeing."

"I was pretty confident at the top of the stretch because she had already shaken off a horse with a lot of class in Bill Mott's horse (Fast Cookie)," Dutrow explained. "

Randaroo paid $3.70, $3.20 and $2.60. House Party returned $9.60 and $5.10. Fast Cookie paid $2.90.

(Chart, Equibase)