Page 40 - 23 November 2012

Texas Classic Futurity-G1
ValianT lil laDy
by Stacy Pigott
The evening of Nov. 10 at Lone Star Park was a night of ups-and-downs for trainer Judd Kearl, who had two horses in the $1,000,000 Texas Classic Futurity-G1. There were anxious moments before the start, and even more anx- ious moments after the finish, but in the end, it was a night to celebrate Valiant Lil Lady’s win in the million-dollar race.
Kearl’s first reason to worry came when the #8 horse, First Prize Shaunda, flipped in the gates. The field stood for several tense moments as First Prize Shaunda was reloaded and the jockey remounted. While neither
of Kearl’s horses were directly affected, the situation was too close to a repeat of what happened in the Heritage Place Futurity-G1 earlier this year.
On May 26 at Remington Park, Kearl
sent three horses to post in the Heritage Place Futurity—eventual third-place finisher Sum Better Stuff, Valiant Lil Lady and PYC Kant Katch Me. As the field was loading, PYC Kant Katch Me flipped in the gates, delaying the start for several minutes. The track veterinar- ian scratched PYC Kant Katch Me, but the damage was already done. The incident took its toll on another of Kearl’s horses, Valiant
Lil Lady, who never ran her race after that and finished last.
“A horse flipped over—it was actually my horse, PYC Kant Katch Me—and when they backed (Valiant Lil Lady) up, she just got wound up. Her race was over before they loaded them back up.”
So it was with trepidation that Kearl watched the trouble in the gate of the Texas Classic Futurity.
“I seen déjà vu,” the trainer said.
This time, however, Valiant Lil Lady used the delay to her advantage.
“She was a little nervous in there and looked a little antsy. And then when that horse flipped, it looked like the extra time calmed her down,” Kearl said of Valiant Lil Lady’s pre-race attitude. “Then they said go, and she was gone. She had them beat from the time she left there.”
Under Cody Jensen, Valiant Lil Lady simply flew away from the gates in the Texas Classic Futurity. Track announcer John Lies said, “Valiant Lil Lady broke like a champion, she gets out by a length-and-a-half on top.”
For most of the 400 yards, Valiant Lil Lady was running solo until Big Boi and jockey G.R. Carter Jr., along the inside rail, drew up
beside her to challenge. Digging in to meet the challenge, Valiant Lil Lady held her position to the wire, finishing a head in front of Big Boi. It was another half-length back to third-place finisher PYC Kant Katch Me.
The win was Valiant Lil Lady’s fourth in five starts, with the Heritage Place Futurity the only blemish
on her record. She broke her maiden convincingly on April 19, then won her Heritage Place Futurity trial by 2 3/4 lengths to set the second- fastest qualifying time from the second day of trials.
After the Heritage Place
Futurity, Valiant Lil Lady
took several months off,
returning to the track for the
Texas Classic Futurity trials on Oct. 20.
“She hasn’t run since the Heritage,” Kearl said of the filly. “She’s been off five months and the time off really did her some good.”
Valiant Lil Lady matured mentally over the summer, which Kearl indicated was a major factor in her ability to handle the unusual
activity prior to the start of the Texas Classic. Immediately following the race, however,
Kearl again had some anxious moments, when Jensen pulled the filly up on the turn and sent for the horse ambulance. The
raucous winner’s circle cel- ebration became quiet as all eyes strained to see if the filly would make it back to the winner’s circle. When Kearl returned from checking on his charge an announced that she was OK, the celebration began anew.
“She just tied up a little bit,” said Kearl. “She has a habit of tying up; she did it after the trials, too. She’ll be fine.”
The win made Valiant Lil Lady the first filly to
win the richest race for any breed in the
state of Texas. It also makes her, by far, the richest starter for her dam, Rustys Lil Lady. An unstarted half-sister to World Champion Whosleavingwho and stakes winners Coronas Leaving You, Wholelota Dash and Beduinos Rusty, Rustys Lil Lady produced her first two
Lone Star Park $1,000,000 • 400 yards :19.616 • si 93
First Down Dash
Valiant Hero
Corona Chick
VALIANT LIL LADY, ’10-f.
Fredricksburg
Rustys Lil Lady
Lil Bit Rusty
38 SPEEDHORSE, November 23, 2012
TQHA Executive Director Barbara Linke (center) presents the Texas Classic Futurity trophy to, from left to right, Valiant Lil Lady’s owner Bryon Garnder and wife Angie, jockey Cody Jensen and trainer Judd Kearl, flanked by breeders Bob and Jerry Gaston.
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Reed Palmer Photography