Rachel's Valentina to Debut Aug. 2 at Spa
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Rachel's Valentina, the 2-year-old daughter of 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra and 2006 3-year-old champion male Bernardini , will make the first start of her career Aug. 2 in the second race at Saratoga Race Course.
Owned and bred by Stonestreet Stables, which campaigned Rachel Alexandra to victories in the 2009 Preakness, Kentucky Oaks, Mother Goose, Haskell, and Woodward (all gr. I) before her retirement from racing in 2010, Rachel's Valentina has been installed as the 6-5 morning line favorite in the six-furlong maiden special weight for juvenile fillies.
"She's trained very well and she's as ready as we can have her," said trainer Todd Pletcher. "This one's six furlongs and the next one (in the condition book) is 5 1/2 (furlongs) and I preferred the six. She's not super quick away from the gate, (so) it's probably not her ideal distance, but it's a good starting point to build on."
Rachel Alexandra's first foal, 3-year-old Jess's Dream, by two-time Horse of the Year Curlin , has yet to make his highly anticipated first start for trainer Kiaran McLaughlin. The colt logged a half-mile breeze July 25 at Saratoga, going the distance in :48.58 to rank 25th among 109 timed moves at the distance.