Lady Valeur auditions for Honeymoon
ARCADIA, Calif. – Lady Valeur seemed poised for her first stakes win as the 2-1 favorite in the Grade 3 Providencia Stakes at Santa Anita on April 9. A wet turf course and a lost shoe contributed to a fifth-place finish.
Hopes for a graded stakes win remain in place for Lady Valeur but have been postponed until the summer. The next objective is a win in a first-level optional $75,000 claimer for 3-year-old fillies at 1 1/8 miles on turf in Friday’s seventh race at Santa Anita.
The race could propel Lady Valeur to the $200,000 Honeymoon Stakes for 3-year-old fillies on turf June 19. There are also graded stakes at Del Mar this summer that have the attention of trainer Paddy Gallagher and the Eclipse Thoroughbred partnership that owns Lady Valeur.
In Friday’s race, Lady Valeur starts from the rail in a field of eight. Lady Valeur was second in the China Doll Stakes here in March and is one of two stakes-placed fillies in the field. Sutton’s Smile was third in the Grade 1 Starlet Stakes at Los Alamitos last December.
Race 7
KEY CONTENDERS
Lady Valeur, by Multiplex
Last 3 Beyers: 83-83-81
◗ Lady Valeur joined Gallagher’s stable last fall, having finished second in her career debut in Ireland last September. Lady Valeur won her second start for Gallagher against maidens in February and was beaten a neck by Mirage in the China Doll.
◗ In the Providencia Stakes, Lady Valeur was third with a furlong remaining but faded on the yielding turf course to finish 4 1/4 lengths behind race winner Decked Out.
“She ran well in the China Doll,” Gallagher said. “In the Providencia, I don’t know if it was the rain. She lost a shoe. I don’t know if that was an excuse.”
Sutton’s Smile, by Paddy O’Prado
Last 3 Beyers: 80-67-74
◗ Sutton’s Smile has a solid record on turf, having won a maiden race here last October. She later finished third in the Grade 3 Jimmy Durante Stakes on turf last November before losing the Starlet by four lengths to stablemate Street Fancy.
◗ Sutton’s Smile was seventh in the China Doll, losing by 1 1/4 lengths in her only start this year. Trainer Phil D’Amato said Sutton’s Smile can adapt to race tactics.
“I think she’ll improve, and I think she’ll be forwardly placed,” he said. “She can sit one, two, or three.”
Scatterling, by Lord Shanakill
◗ Scatterling will have her American debut Friday. In Ireland, Scatterling won a maiden race on the all-weather surface at Dundalk last November. Scatterling was 11th of 12 in her debut last September, her only start on turf in three races.
◗ D’Amato expects Scatterling to be a factor from off the pace for jockey Drayden Van Dyke.
“She’s trained like a typical Euro,” he said. “She’s okay on the dirt. I know she’s got a good turn of foot. I think she’ll appreciate it when she hits the grass. I think she’ll come with a run late.”