Napa Valley Rose using optional claimer as stakes prep
Napa Valley Rose scored one for the distaff set when she beat the boys in her first start at Tampa Bay Downs on Jan. 17. On Sunday, she will return to racing against fillies in a first-level optional claimer that trainer Robert Smith hopes will get her ready for a stakes race.
Napa Valley Rose made her career debut at Monmouth Park last August, finishing a well-beaten fourth to Hi Holiday, who would return to win the Sorority Stakes in her next start. Smith said Napa Valley Rose was battling a persistent case of the sniffles at Monmouth, so he decided to give her a break and point for the Tampa meet.
That decision paid off when Napa Valley Rose beat males in a $50,000 maiden claimer going 5 1/2 furlongs here last month, stalking the early pace and winning by three-quarters of a length. On Sunday, she will be among nine 3-year-old fillies going 6 1/2 furlongs for a $23,000 purse. Napa Valley Rose is one of three fillies in the field available for the optional $75,000 claiming tag.
Smith said he’s hoping to get Napa Valley Rose to the $75,000 Stonehedge Farm South Sophomore Fillies Stakes, a seven-furlong race for 3-year-old Florida-bred fillies on April 9.
“We’ve had this race picked out, trying to set her up for the Florida-bred stakes in April, which is our ultimate goal, and figured that stretching her out, she should like the distance, no problem,” Smith said. “She has some natural speed, so she should put herself in a good position, but there are a couple of nice fillies in there. She’ll have to run a bit harder than she did the other day, but I think she had a little bit left in the tank.”
KEY CONTENDERS
Napa Valley Rose, by Motovato
Beyers: 61-28
◗ Jockey Ronnie Allen Jr. elects to stay with this filly instead of A Little Attitude, whom he piloted to a four-length win in a $35,000 starter allowance Feb. 10.
Blip n’ Th Bye, by Tale of Ekati
Beyers: 72-80
◗ She’s the horse to beat since both of her Beyers are higher than any number posted by her rivals. She hasn’t raced since finishing a close third at this level Nov. 1 at Churchill Downs but has been training steadily here for trainer Tom Proctor and posted a pair of bullet workouts this month, including a half-mile in 47.80 seconds Wednesday.
Special Talent, by Talent Search
Last 3 Beyers: 57-58-44
◗ She’s been the well-beaten runner-up at this level in her last two starts but was defeated by stakes-placed fillies in Cosmic Girl and Valueable Charmer.