Valadorna ready for first workout since Breeders' Cup

Valadorna, the runner-up in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies in her most recent start, has settled into Mark Casse’s barn at Fair Grounds after getting a brief rest in Florida and is nearing her first timed workout of the winter.

“She’s been there about 10 days,” Casse said Tuesday night. “We’re getting ready to breeze her in the next couple days.”

Valadorna finished second in her career debut – one place ahead of recent Fair Grounds allowance-race winner Untapped – before capturing a Keeneland maiden race with enough verve that her connections tried the BC Juvenile Fillies. Valadorna failed to get a clean run but still was closing late to miss the victorious Champagne Room by less than one length.

Valadorna, a Curlin filly, was given a short break following that race but has settled into a routine now at Fair Grounds under assistant trainer David Carroll. With only the maiden win on her résumé, she remains eligible for a first-level allowance race and could make her first start of 2017 in such a spot, though Casse said no plans have yet been firmly set for the filly. Valadorna will not make the Jan. 21 Silverbulletday Stakes.

“I’d like to get a few works in her before we commit to anything,” said Casse. “Our hopes would be to get a few starts in her at Fair Grounds.”

Takeoff displays talent

The Casse barn came out of Monday’s card with a 2-year-old colt who might have talent in the same range as Valadorna.

Takeoff, a third-time starter making his two-turn debut, went to the lead from post 1 under Florent Geroux and posted a good-looking one-length win in race 9, a mile-and-70-yard maiden race.

He was timed in a solid 1:43.87, faster than a second maiden race and a first-level allowance at the same distance Monday, and that despite going his opening half-mile at a slower pace than in either of those races. Takeoff got a career-best 79 Beyer Speed Figure.

Takeoff, by Arch and out of an Officer mare, cost owner John Oxley $550,000 at a sale of 2-year-olds in training. He finished a close, closing third when debuting in a Keeneland sprint but was fourth as the favorite second out in a one-turn Churchill Downs mile.

“I liked him a lot at the sale,” Casse said Tuesday. “His first start was good, but he just didn’t really run that great his second start. I was surprised, honestly. I thought he ran really well [Monday]. He finished with good energy. At no point in time did he lose any of his action, and then he went on and galloped out really nice. I thought his best days might be on the grass, but we won’t explore that avenue for a while.”

Casse said he planned to run Takeoff back in a first-level, two-turn allowance race before considering stakes competition.

“I’d love to get another positive experience in him. I think he’s on the cusp of being a really good horse,” he said.

Arklow, another Arch colt, this one trained by Brad Cox, made a good run at Takeoff to finish second, more than six lengths ahead off the third-place horse. Arklow got a 78 Beyer.

Shareholder Value, dropping in class from the Kentucky Jockey Club Stakes, ran slower than Takeoff, going in 1:44.63 (good for a 73 Beyer) off a faster half-mile pace while rallying to win Monday’s first-level allowance by more than three lengths. Having cleared the allowance condition, he is likely to make his next start in the Jan. 21 Lecomte Stakes.

“I think that’s probably what’s going to happen,” said trainer Tom Amoss. “He’s a very mentally immature horse. I tried taking the blinkers off this time, but he was very rank early. We want to get him to relax and make one run. He was better, but he’s still not there.”

Society Beau finished second to Shareholder Value, while Bobby the Brain was third and Hollow Point fifth. Bobby the Brain, a good-looking debut winner earlier this month, is likely for an allowance race next out, trainer Mike Stidham said. Hollow Point, well regarded by the Casse barn, might not be a two-turn horse at this point.

Senior Investment, a Ken McPeek-trained fourth-time starter, won the other division of the two-turn maiden race by 2 1/2 lengths but clocked a somewhat pedestrian 1:44.99, a raw time that produced a 69 Beyer.