Valiance (left)
Six years after weighing into the U.S. industry with an incisive buying foray, the China Horse Club has been rewarded with its first home bred G1 winner on American soil. Valiance, a daughter of G1 heroine Last Full Measure, secured that honour when downing reigning Kentucky Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil in the USD400,000 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes at Keeneland.
The gorgeous grey has earned the right to take her place in the USD2 million G1 Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff over the same course and distance next month. A contest that will pit her against the very best fillies and mares of her generation.
Valiance had earlier etched her name into the Club’s roll of honour as its first home bred stakes winner in the United States but upper her status with a career defining display. Valiance had three-quarters of a length to spare over Ollie’s Candy with Shedaresthedevil a distant third. The result also continued the China Horse Club’s wonderful run of ‘majors’ in the U.S. becoming the fourth G1 secured as owners this season following the treble of G1s won by Improbable (G1 Hollywood Gold Cup, G1 Whitney Stakes, G1 Awesome Again Stakes).
Valiance’s result was a reward for guile of her trainer Todd Pletcher and the patience of her ownership group of Eclipse Thoroughbreds, Martin Schwartz and China Horse Club, who retained a stake in her. Valiance’s record stands at a highly impressive six wins from eight starts as Pletcher has navigated her career impeccably, moving her through her grades, transitioning her between turf and dirt contests before finally having her prepped for a tilt at the Spinster Stakes.
“That was the plan to let those fillies go on the lead and see if we can catch them,” said Valiance’s jockey Luis Saez.
“Everything came so perfect, the way we planned it. When we came to the straight, it was a battle, but she did it pretty good and she fired and won the race. The (fast pace) was the plan. I knew that was going to happen. It was good for us.”
However, none of that would have been possible had it not been for the China Horse Club’s decision to move and move with purpose in late 2014. After years of watching the U.S. thoroughbred market and monitoring its slow recovery post the Global Financial Crisis, the Club elected to target a select number of blue-chip mares who would become the cornerstone of a breeding arm in the United States. The above mentioned Last Full Measure was a supplementary to the 2014 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale and offered as the final lot into the ring on the opening day of trading. Her acquisition came after a concerted bidding duel was won with a final bid of USD1.5 million.
Last Full Measure was covered by WinStar Farm’s boom young sire Constitution and has an Exaggerator colt on the ground called Harbor Bay.
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