In-foal Poker winner Oleksandra to be sold at Keeneland November

ELMONT, N.Y. – The 7-year-old mare Oleksandra, who completed her accomplished career on Sunday with a last-to-first victory against males in the Grade 3, $250,000 Poker Stakes while in foal to Into Mischief, will be sold at the Keeneland November sale, according to Barry Irwin, president of the Team Valor International partnership that owns her.

Irwin said Oleksandra was offered in that sale last year but fell just short of her $1.5 million reserve and Team Valor bought her back. The decision was made to race Oleksandra for the first half of the year with the goal being a repeat victory in the Grade 1 Jaipur on Belmont Stakes Day.

But the turf course came up a bit soft that day, so the decision was made to scratch. Sunday, the ground was firm, the pace was fast, and Oleksandra rallied from last under Joel Rosario to win the Poker against males, beating Raging Bull, the 3-5 favorite, by a head.

Irwin, who watched the race on his phone from Oregon, said while he didn’t see Oleksandra in the picture early, when he saw the opening half-mile went in 44.69 seconds, he turned to his wife and said “it’s all over. I don’t know where she is, but with a half like that she’ll come.’ ”

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Oleksandra covered the mile in 1:32.11 and earned a 103 Beyer Speed Figure, the highest of her 20-race career.

Oleksandra ended her career with a record of eight wins – four in stakes – four seconds, and three thirds from 20 starts and career earnings of $705,748.