Late Rally Lifts Stunning Sky to Valley View Victory
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Photo: Keeneland/Coady Photography
A late stretch rally lifts Stunning Sky to her first stakes win in the Valley View at Keeneland
After finishing second in two of her past three stakes tries, Stunning Sky would not be denied Oct. 16 as she delivered a focused outside rally in deep stretch to eliminate Princess Grace's clear advantage and score a half-length victory in the $150,000 Pin Oak Valley View Stakes (G3T) on the turf at Keeneland.
Paradise Farms and Parkland Thoroughbreds' Stunning Sky completed the 1 1/16-mile test for 3-year-old fillies in 1:41.33 on firm turf, a stakes record.
Winning trainer Mike Maker was glad to see Stunning Sky put it all together Friday.
"She ran some great races that she was unlucky to lose at Saratoga," Maker said. "She was very deserving today, I think; such a big, classy filly. I'm glad to get a stakes win for (owners) Peter Proscia and Steve Weston."
With Ricardo Santana Jr. on board for the first time, Stunning Sky rated near the back of the field of 10 as Outburst set swift fractions of a half-mile in :46.23 and six furlongs in 1:10.50, closely pursued by grade 1-placed Walk In Marrakesh throughout. Those two carried their battle into early stretch, but it proved to only set things up for the late runners.
Stunning Sky (yellow cap) get up for the victory in the Valley View at Keeneland
In her stakes debut, Susan and John Moore's Princess Grace surged to the lead and opened a clear advantage in midstretch. But Stunning Sky, kept in the clear throughout after starting from post 9, proved undaunted, determinedly closing on the outside to get the victory. Longshot How Ironic also closed late for third.
"The pace set up perfect for her today," Santana said. "Turning for home, she switched leads to her right leg. She gave me everything she had."
Sent off at 5-1, Stunning Sky returned $13.80, $6.40, and $4.80. Princess Grace paid $9.40 and $7.20, and How Ironic returned $10.60 to show. Favored Duopoly finished fifth in her stakes debut, and Saratoga Oaks Invitational Stakes winner Antoinette failed to show her usual early speed and finished eighth.
"The race didn't shape up the way I thought it would, but I left it in Ricardo's hands, and he rode a great race," Maker said.
Stunning Sky, a daughter of Declaration of War, entered off a fourth-place finish in the Exacta Systems Dueling Grounds Oaks Sept. 10 at Kentucky Downs. Before that, she registered runner-up finishes in a pair of stakes races at Saratoga Race Course, the Lake Placid Stakes (G2T) and the Saratoga Oaks.
Maker said with her size, he suspects Stunning Sky will stretch out well to longer distances in the near future.
Kim Valerio went to $100,000 to purchase Stunning Sky at the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale from the consignment of Kaizen Sales, agent.
Bred in Kentucky by Stephen McDonald, Stunning Sky is one of two starters, both winners, out of the winning Unbridled's Song mare Sky Walk—a full sister to grade 1-placed Unbridled Express.