Crossed Sabres Farm’s Valid (Medaglia d’Oro) easily turned back 6-5 favorite
Bradester (Lion Heart) in Sunday’s $151,500
Philip H. Iselin S. (G3) at Monmouth Park to record a 3 1/2-length victory
and give jockey Nik Juarez his first career stakes win.
The duo pressed the early pace as first Albano and then Bradester led the way
through splits of :23.92 and :48.72. Albano fell back just as Valid took
command, but Bradester will still fighting. The battle didn’t last long, though,
as Valid began pulling away to eventually finish 1 1/8 miles over the fast main
track in 1:50.15.
Bradester, hero of the Monmouth Cup (G2) and Salvator Mile S. (G3) in his
last two, just held off the late-charging Matterhorn (Distorted Humor) to secure
second.
Valid finished behind Bradester in both of those events, running third in the
Salvator Mile and second in the Monmouth Cup. Last year, the Marcus Vitali-trained
gelding was third in both the Iselin and Salvator Mile while winning the
Monmouth Cup.
The dark bay five-year-old, who also boasts a score in the Fred W. Hooper S.
(G3) from earlier this season, improved his career record to read 30-9-7-6,
$699,107.
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