Longshot Sailor’s Valentine Pulls Shocker in $500,000 Central Bank Ashland

By Amy Owens —-

Sailor’s Valentine; All Photos Provided by Keeneland

LEXINGTON, KY (April 8, 2017) – Semaphore Racing and Homewrecker Racing’s Sailor’s Valentine put away pacesetting Someday Soon in the upper stretch and then held off a late surge from Daddys Lil Darling by a half-length to win the 80th running of the $500,000 Central Bank Ashland (G1) for 3-year-old fillies on Saturday at Keeneland.

Trained by Eddie Kenneally and ridden by Corey Lanerie, Sailor’s Valentine covered the 1 1/16 miles on a fast main track in 1:45.54.

It was the second Central Bank Ashland victory for Kenneally, who won with Bushfire in 2006 for Homewrecker Racing.

Lanerie became the second rider to win the Central Bank Ashland in consecutive years. Lanerie, who won last year on Weep No More, joins Bill Shoemaker as a back-to-back winner. Shoemaker won in 1981 on Truly Bound and 1982 with Blush With Pride.

Lanerie also won the race in 2009 with Hooh Why and joins Shoemaker, Don Brumfield, Randy Romero, Shane Sellers and Mike Smith as the only riders to win the race three times.

The victory was worth $300,000 and also gave Sailor’s Valentine 100 points toward the $1 million Kentucky Oaks (G1) to be run May 5 at Churchill Downs.

Sailor’s Valentine has 100 points and a spot in the starting gate for the Kentucky Oaks that is limited to the top 14 point getters that pass the entry box. Daddys Lil Darling picked up 40 points for second to boost her total to 60 and a likely spot in the Oaks.

Someday Soon led the field of eight through fractions of :24.49, :49.32 and 1:14.06 with Sailor’s Valentine in closest pursuit. In the stretch, Sailor’s Valentine took over and had enough left to thwart the late bid of Daddys Lil Darling.

A graduate of Keeneland’s 2015 September Yearling Sale, Sailor’s Valentine is a Kentucky-bred daughter of Mizzen Mast out of the Tale of the Cat mare Sortilege. She now has earned $359,214 with a record of 6-2-2-0.

Sailor’s Valentine returned $46.40, $16.80 and $9. Daddys Lil Darling, ridden by Robby Albarado, returned $6.60 and $4.40 with Someday Soon finishing another 1 ¼ lengths back in third under Jose Lezcano and paying $9.80 to show.

Tapped was another half-length back in fourth and followed in order by Summer Luck, Pretty City Dancer and Meanie Irenie. Favored Elate did not finish.

Quotes for the $500,000 Central Bank Ashland (G1)

Click here for a replay of the race

Eddie Kenneally (winning trainer of 22-1 longshot Sailor’s Valentine)
“We knew she liked the track. She won here in October very impressively (in her career debut on Oct. 8). She came back here in late March and had a really good work over the track. We just decided we’d take a shot in the Ashland – mainly because she loves this track – and this is a very, very good track.”
On whether Sailor’s Valentine will race next in the Kentucky Oaks (G1)
“Certainly, if everything goes well.”

Corey Lanerie (winning rider)
“I hadn’t been on her (in awhile). Coming into the race, he (Eddie Kenneally) said, ‘She’s doing phenomenal. I look for her to run a big race. She’s going maybe to be a longshot, but she’s not going to run like one.’ He was right.”

Robby Albarado (rider of runner-up Daddys Lil Darling)
“It was a phenomenal trip. (The pace) was slow up front and that didn’t help me any, but she finished up well and I’m proud of her. I feel like the further (the distance) the better with her. She’s a nice filly.”

Kenny McPeek (trainer of Daddys Lil Darling)
“She ran a great race. Robby did a great job on her. He just sat still and waited and waited. He just couldn’t run them down. He said if the (race were a bit longer) he probably wins by two (lengths). But we’re pleased. This is about where we wanted to be. Of course you want to win, but she’s a special filly. I’m sure she’ll go to the Kentucky Oaks – no doubt.”

Jose Lezcano (rider of third-place finisher Someday Soon)
“I had a very good trip. She broke right on top, and when I asked she gave me her best. She tried hard. She did everything right. She is a very trying filly.”

Will VanMeter (trainer of Someday Soon)
“We are really proud of her. The race played out the way we thought it would when we were handicapping before we entered. I am not sure about the Kentucky Oaks – that is up to the owner. I doubt she would get this kind of race set-up in the Oaks but if we are eligible (based on points), we might take a shot.”
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For more than 80 years, the Keeneland Association has devoted itself to the health and vibrancy of the Thoroughbred industry. As the world’s largest Thoroughbred auction company, Keeneland conducts sales every January, September and November. Its sales graduates dominate racing across the globe at every level. In April and October, Keeneland offers some of the highest caliber and richest Thoroughbred racing in the world. In 2015, Keeneland hosted the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. Uniquely structured, Keeneland is a private, for-profit corporation that returns its earnings to the industry and the community in the form of higher purses, and it has donated millions of dollars in charitable contributions for education, research and health and human services throughout Central Kentucky. To learn more about Keeneland, visit Keeneland.com.