Deer Valley notches first stakes win in Crank It Up turf sprint

Deer Valley stepped it up to win the $60,000 Crank It Up Stakes, a turf sprint for 3-year-old fillies, Saturday at Monmouth Park.

It was the first stakes victory for the filly, who is now 3 for 7 lifetime. She bounced back after finishing seventh in the Grade 3 Miss Preakness Stakes at Pimlico.

Under Antonio Gallardo, Deer Valley ($8.40) sat a settled second as well-traveled favorite Big City Dreamin took the field through a sharp opening quarter of 21.19 seconds. She edged up on the leader through the half in 43.98, powered clear of that rival in the final furlong, and then held sway over a closing Hidden Mystery to win by a half-length. The final time for the five furlongs was 56.02.

“The whole thing was easy,” Gallardo said. “[Big City Dreamin] set the pace and I sat off her. Around the turn, my filly picked it up and she kicked it in for the final eighth. She’s a very talented filly.”

A length behind Hidden Mystery, Big City Dreamin held third by a neck over Fly Swift.

Deer Valley is based at the Fair Hill training center with trainer Tom Proctor for Glen Hill Farm. That outfit went to $340,000 at the 2015 Keeneland September yearling sale to purchase her from Clearsky Farm - which is in the midst of an outstanding year with graduates on the track including Arrogate and Abel Tasman.