Invaders provide test in Valdale

The locals pretty much had the first one to themselves. But when the second 2010 stakes race for 3-year-old fillies is run Saturday at Turfway Park, a couple of shippers could be crashing the party.

Cactus Cadillac, Henry's Posse, and Helen Belen were the respective top three finishers in the Cincinnati Trophy Stakes on Jan. 16 at the Florence, Ky., track, and they are back Saturday for the $50,000 Valdale Stakes. But Sister Resistor is in from south Florida, and Seasoned is in from New Orleans, and either or both could relegate the local fillies to lesser roles.

Sister Resistor, trained by Ken McPeek, had shown enough to be bet down to 7-2 in the Grade 2 Forward Gal Stakes at Gulfstream Park in her last outing. Although she finished eighth behind the victorious Bickersons that day, her two-back allowance victory at Gulfstream still should make her a major contender in the Valdale, which goes as a two-turn mile over Polytrack.

"The distance and the timing of this race really suit her, and we want to get her more black type if we can," McPeek said.

Seasoned, based in recent months at Fair Grounds with trainer Al Stall Jr., will be trying to earn black type for her breeder-owners, Adele Dilschneider and Claiborne Farm, after narrowly missing twice last fall. Never worse than third in her five career attempts, Seasoned exits three straight turf routes and would appear to pose a major stretch threat against a number of fillies who appear questionable at a distance.

Other considerations in a very deep renewal of the Valdale include Lisa's Kitten, making her first start of the year after a solid 2-year-old campaign, and Offlee Funny, stretching out at a price for trainer Walt Bindner Jr.

This will be the 32nd running of the Valdale, which is carded as the 10th of 12 Saturday races. In all, 14 fillies are on the program, but only as many as 12 can start. First post is 1:10 p.m. Eastern.

* Nominations to the $500,000 Lane's End Stakes close Saturday. The nomination fee to the Grade 2 race is just $100, but if the deadline is missed, the supplementary fee is $30,000. The Lane's End will be run March 27.