Dolce Zel Heads Full Field of Twelve for Valley View

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Dolce Zel Heads Full Field of Twelve for Valley View
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Photo: Coglianese Photos
Dolce Zel prevails over Eminent Victor in the Lake George Stakes at Saratoga Race Course

Two-time grade 3 winner Dolce Zel  heads a field of 12 3-year-old fillies and two also-eligibles entered for the Oct. 28 $300,000 Rubicon Valley View Stakes (G3T) on Keeneland's fall meet closing weekend.

The 1 1/16-mile grass test is scheduled as the eighth race on Friday’s 10-race program with a 4:44 p.m. ET post time. First post is 1 p.m.

Since being purchased privately by Madaket Stables, Michael Dubb, and Robert LaPenta and sent to trainer Chad Brown, the French-bred Dolce Zel has captured two of her five starts on North American soil. The daughter of Zelzal  won a pair of graded stakes, the Florida Oaks (G3T) in March and the Lake George Stakes (G3T) in July, in dogfights to the wire. In her only start at Keeneland, she was a solid second to grade 1 winner Spendarella  in the Appalachian Stakes Presented by Japan Racing Association (G2T).

Third in the Lake Placid Stakes (G2T) at Saratoga Race Course in her most recent outing, Dolce Zel will be ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. in Friday's race.

Hall of Fame Todd Pletcher, the winner of three grade 1 victories during this Keeneland fall meet, saddle's Doreen Tabor's Majestic Glory  in the Valley View.

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The daughter of Frankel (GB), a group stakes victress in Europe, made her U.S. debut in the Sept. 18 Pebbles Stakes (G3T) at the Belmont at the Big A fall meet to finish fourth. Finishing 1 1/2 lengths in front of her that day was the Brown trainee Gina Romantica , who went on to land the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes Presented by Dixiana (G1T) here on Oct. 15.

"(Majestic Glory) ran pretty well (in the Pebbles), showed some interest, and finished up well," Pletcher said. "We targeted the Valley View after that race. The timing is good and she has had two good works here."

Chris Walsh's California Angel , triumphant in the JPMorgan Chase Jessamine Stakes (G2T) at Keeneland last fall as a 2-year-old, wheels back off a quick two week turnaround on Friday. Trained by George Leonard III, the California Chrome   filly has yet to find the winner's circle in four starts this year, though she placed third in the Exacta Systems Dueling Grounds Oaks at Kentucky Downs two starts back. In her last start, she closed willingly to settle for fourth, beaten a head for third, in the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup.


Entries: Rubicon Valley View S. (G3T)

Keeneland, Friday, October 28, 2022, Race 8

  • Grade IIIT
  • 1 1/16m
  • Turf
  • $300,000
  • 3 yo Fillies
  • 4:44 PM (local)
PP Horse Jockey Wgt Trainer M/L
1 1California Angel (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Rafael Bejarano 118 George Leonard, III 7/2
2 2Frippet (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate James Graham 118 Jonathan Thomas 30/1
3 3Oakhurst (KY) Joseph Talamo 118 Michelle Nevin 8/1
4 4My Philly Twirl (KY) Tyler Gaffalione 118 Brendan P. Walsh 20/1
5 5Dolce Zel (FR) Irad Ortiz, Jr. 118 Chad C. Brown 5/2
6 6Majestic Glory (GB) Luis Saez 118 Todd A. Pletcher 6/1
7 7Lady Puchi (KY) Brian Joseph Hernandez, Jr. 118 Kenneth G. McPeek 8/1
8 8Bubble Rock (KY) Ricardo Santana, Jr. 118 Brad H. Cox 15/1
9 9Sparkle Blue (KY) Joel Rosario 118 H. Graham Motion 12/1
10 10Heavenly Hellos (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Albin Jimenez 118 Rey Hernandez 50/1
11 11Turnerloose (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Florent Geroux 118 Brad H. Cox 8/1
12 12Bicameral (KY)Keeneland Sales Graduate Reylu Gutierrez 118 George Papaprodromou 15/1
13 13Sunroof (KY) Julien R. Leparoux 118 Carlos Santamaria 50/1
14 14Diamond Wow (KY) Vincent Cheminaud 118 Patrick L. Biancone 10/1