10/24/09
Last updated: 10/23/09 6:19 PM
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Eye of Taurus (green hat) was a stubborn winner of the Valley View
over Miss Keller
(EquiSport Photos) |
Trainer Kiaran McLaughlin and jockey John Velazquez swept both divisions of
Friday’s $125,000
Valley View S. (G3) at Keeneland, and the second winner for the pair was
even less heralded than the first. Harvey Clarke’s EYE OF TAURUS (Aldebaran),
who had never run in a stakes before, improved enough off a second-level
allowance win at Monmouth to register the 13-1 upset by a head over 9-1 chance
Miss Keller (Ire) (Montjeu [Ire]) with 2-1 favorite Keertana (Johar) a
comfortably beaten third. Eye of Taurus returned $28.80, $14.80 and $8.20.
Direct Line (Tiznow) was the first to lead, getting a quarter in :24, but
soon yielded to Afternoon Stroll (Stroll), who led through a half-mile in :49
and six furlongs in 1:15 2/5. Eye of Taurus, meanwhile, rated close throughout
and took control at the top of the stretch. She met the oncoming rush of Miss
Keller with good courage, defending her lead throughout the final furlong to
finish the 1 1/16 miles on top in 1:46 2/5 over the yielding ground.
Miss Keller, 3 1/4 lengths clear of Keertana at the line, returned $9.40 and
$6.40 with Keertana 1 1 /4 lengths up on Afternoon Stroll for the show at $3.40.
The exacta returned $299.20, the trifecta $1,996.40 and the 8-10-6-2 superfecta
$10,826.20. Seniga (Military) ran fifth and was followed by Cumulonimble (Stormy
Atlantic), Haka (Dynaformer), Forest Uproar (Forest Wildcat), Unbridled Essence
(Essence of Dubai), Aurora Lights (Pulpit) and Direct Line. Mother Russia (Mayakovsky)
and Saucey Evening (More Than Ready) were scratched.
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Eye of Taurus broke her maiden in February on dirt at Laurel Park in
her fifth career start, but was immediately switched to grass when the weather
warmed up in April. She wound up passing her first and second allowance
conditions in her third attempt at each, both over a mile on Monmouth Park’s
turf. Her record now stands at 13-4-3-1, $$181,430.
Eye of Taurus is out of the unraced Ocean Shore (Silver Hawk), a full sister
to English classic-placed Minds Music and a half-sister to English classic-placed Afjan (Woodman) and Norwegian classic winner Space Cruiser (Foolish Pleasure).
This is the family of Grade 1 winner Alydeed (Shadeed), multiple stakes winner
and sire Clever Trick (Icecapade), and Grade 2 winner Integra (Torsion).
Eye of Taurus, a $170,000 Keeneland September yearling, was bred in Kentucky
by T. Wayne Sweezey and Patrick Lawley-Wakelin.
