Page 151 - June 2022

Navaja and Mornings With Maria, two others who qualified for the Kindergarten with faster times. Valiantli won her trial by 1 1/2-lengths and was the seventh-fastest qualifier.
“She ran strong in the trials on the end,” said Arrossa. “In her first workout, she also ran really strong. I didn’t think she was as strong in her maiden, but in her trial race she ran super strong at the end. She’s been super at the gate. Her mind is fantastic. I have to thank Romero Fregoso in Idaho (who started Valiantli).”
Jensen and Young became the first owners to win consecutive Kindergartens since EG High Desert Farms in 2003-04. Dutch Masters III accomplished the feat in 2000-01, and before that Ivan Ashment won three from 1975-77.
“I can’t believe this,” said Jensen. “Just a lot of luck.”
Young said that they liked drawing the outside post.
“She is real professional and did a great job,” Young said. “Her maiden race was from the outside, and she won her trial from the outside. So, we liked her post.”
Jensen and Young paid $32,000 for Fire Fast Honey at the 2020 Ruidoso Yearling Sale. They found Valiantli at the 2021 Heritage Place Yearling Sale and had to bid $88,000 to buy her from the consignment of breeder Bobby Cox.
“We went and looked at a few, and she just had a nice hip on her,” said Young.
Jensen also pointed out the bottom side of Valiantli’s pedigree, the filly being out of the Ivory James mare La Vencedora.
“Her mother was tremendous,” said Jensen. “She won the Remington Park Oklahoma Bred Futurity-RG2 and Oklahoma Derby-G3.”
Young added that La Vencedora ran third in her racing debut, just like her daughter.
“Valiantly has won her next two outs, and her mother won her next four outs after her third,” Young said. “Hopefully, she plays on like her mother did.”
Cox bred La Vencedora in Oklahoma and Valiantli in Texas. Valiantli is
La Vencedora’s first starter. La
Vencedora is a half-sister to Graded
winner Jumpn Shake. Valiantli’s
third dam Shake Em Six was
a Broodmare of the Year who
produced Mexican Champion and
Mexican Triple Crown winner Shake
The Bank as well as multiple Graded
Stakes winner Royal Shake Em.
Arrossa also trains second- place Chicks First Flash (First Moonflash-First Prize Chicks). Armando Cervantes rode Chicks First Flash for owners Five Livestock Company LLC and Steve Wright. Second in a maiden race, the gelding qualified the fastest for the Kindergarten Futurity and was the 2-1 favorite.
Eduardo Nicasio rode Muy Bien Corona (Corona Cartel-Lady Perry On Fire) to third for owner Keith Nellesen and trainer Heath
Taylor. Muy Bien Corona was undefeated in two lifetime starts going into the final.
Completing the field were Mornings With Maria (Seperate Interest-Bartiromo), One Sweet Bar (Five Bar Cartel-One Sweet Runner), Navaja (Walk Thru Fire-Jess Flashee), One Sweet Duck (One Sweet Jess-Duck Dash N Go), Smokin Hot Fire (Walk Thru Fire-Haute Cartel), Fraq Attack (A Revenant-Hard Headed Chick), and J Perfect Deal (Docs Best Card-Somewhat Special).
RACING NEWS
Valiantli’s winning connections include owners Dennis Jensen and Randy Young, trainer Monty Arrossa, and jockey Cruz Mendez.
Valiantli after winning the Grade 2
Robert Adair Kindergarten Futurity at Los Alamitos.
SPEEDHORSE June 2022 149
Los Alamitos Los Alamitos