Fran’s Valentine Beats a Jinx in Winning Las Virgenes Stakes
Fran’s Valentine overcame the jinx that has been with her since the Breeders’ Cup and won the $108,650 Las Virgenes Stakes at Santa Anita Saturday.
Fran’s Valentine finished first in the $1-million Breeders’ Cup juvenile championship but was disqualified for interference. Since then, the filly had failed to win in three starts.
But Saturday, Pat Valenzuela kept the California-bred daughter of Saros in fifth position until the stretch, where she quickly circled the field and drew out for a two-length victory over Rascal Lass.
Wising Up finished third, while heavily favored Folk Art faded badly in the stretch to finish fifth in the seven-horse field.
Fran’s Valentine completed the mile in 1:36 2-5 and paid $14.40, $6.20 and $4.00. Rascal Lass returned $9.80 and 4.80, while Wising Up paid $3.20 for third.
Bill Shoemaker, needing less than $100,000 to become the first jockey to win $100 million in purses, finished fourth aboard Savannah Dancer.
The victory was worth $63,650 to the Green Thumb Farm of Earl Scheib.
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