It's Anybody's Race in Wide Open Valley View

On paper, there appears to be no clear-cut favorite among a dozen sophomore fillies assembled for the $300,000 Valley View Stakes (G3T) at Keeneland. The one-mile Valley View, one of the last graded stakes opportunities for straight 3-year-old fillies of the year, drew six graded stakes winners and four runners who are graded stakes-placed.

While New York shipper and Lake George Stakes (G3T) winner Surge Capacity  is sure to draw in her share of the money, being from the barn of leading trainer Chad Brown, there are a few enticing contenders that could stand a chance at a larger price.

The Jessica Harrington-trained Eternal Silence , an American-bred daughter of War Front  , knocked heads against the likes of European champion Tahiyra  and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) victress Meditate  in her overseas outings. In two of her finer efforts, she was third to Belmont Oaks Invitational (G1T) victress Aspen Grove  in a Curragh group 3 before finishing third in the Molyglare Stud Stakes (G1). Despite those accomplishments, Eternal Silence was still a maiden and finally broke through with an 11-length romp in June at Naas. She then finished fourth in a listed stakes over a yielding turf course. The firmer North American courses should be more to her liking.

Pride of the Nile  and Sacred Wish , grade 1-placed runners on the dirt, also appear to be formidable competition. Sacred Wish, trained by George Weaver, earned a career-best number last time out when landing the Winter Memories Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack. Pride of the Nile was also a last-out winner on the turf, netting a Del Mar allowance optional claimer in a snappy 1:35.20 in August for trainer Doug O'Neill.

A longer shot on the board at 15-1, the G. Watts Humphrey, Jr. filly Bling , enters the Valley View off the quickest turnaround in the race. The American Pharoah   filly, third over this course last year in the Jessamine Stakes (G2T), exits a head-turning allowance optional claiming performance Oct. 6 over the Keeneland turf.

Things to Know

•    The likely pacesetter is Miacomet's Heavenly Sunday , who disappointed last out in the Lake George Stakes (G3T) at Saratoga. The Brad Cox pupil ran a career-best figure three starts back when capturing the Edgewood Stakes (G2T) on the Kentucky Oaks (G1) undercard in gate-to-wire fashion.

•    Current meet leading rider Luis Saez will pilot the Eddie Kenneally-trained Safeen , a grade 3 winner of the Pucker Up Stakes (G3T) at Ellis Park earlier this summer. Saez took the Keeneland fall meet riders title in 2022.

•    Graham Motion, trainer of Speirling Beag , has won the Valley View a record four times with Sparkle Blue (2022), Colonia (2018), Quidura (2016), and Tiger Ride (2015).