Valid Bounds Away to Iselin Victory

Crossed Sabres Farm's Valid outdueled favorite Bradester before shaking loose to win the $150,000 Philip H. Iselin Stakes (gr. III) Aug. 30 at Monmouth Park. 

 

The 5-year-old gelding by Medaglia d'Oro   won by 3 1/2 lengths under a hand ride from Nik Juarez and covered 1 1/8 miles 1:50.14 on a fast track to get his third graded stakes win after finishing third in last year's race. 

 

Valid pressed early pacesetter Albano before settling in third, took control before entering the far turn, and held off 6-5 favorite Bradester to give Juarez his first career stakes win as the 3-1 second choice.

 

Albano went opening quarter mile in :23.92 and Bradester took over as the half went in :48.72, but Valid soon moved to take charge and get the victory.

            

"Once I saw Bradester wasn't going for the lead, I was able to take my horse out to be nice and comfortable just off the lead," Juarez said. "Down the backside, he was just dragging me. At the three-eighths pole, Bradester started to make his run, so I asked my horse, and he really just ran strong and held him off all the way to the wire. 

            

"It's really a kick start to the rest of my career," Juarez said of his breakthrough stakes win.

 

Trained by Marcus Vitali, Valid has a 9-7-6 record from 30 career starts and $699,107 in earnings. His résumé includes Fred W. Hooper Stakes (gr. III) in February at Gulfstream Park and the 2014 Monmouth Cup (gr. II).

 

Bred in Virginia by Edward Evans, Valid is out of the stakes-winning Grand Slam mare Grand Prayer and is a half brother to 2010 Ruffian Invitational (gr. I) winner Malibu Prayer. 

 

Valid paid $8.80, $3.60, and $2.40, Bradester returned $3 and $2.20, and Matterhorn paid $2.40 to show.

 

Albano tired to finish fourth, followed by Anchor Down and Matrooh to complete the order of finish.