Courageous Cat wins first Grade 1 race at Shoemaker Miles, Patrick Valenzuela’s hundredth stakes victory
Saturday, the 2nd of July, marked a big day for both, jockey, Patrick Valenzuela, and five-year-old Courageous Cat, as it marked Valenzuela’s hundredth stakes' win and Courageous
Cat’s first Grade 1 victory at Hollywood Park, running the Shoemaker Miles Stakes.
Patrick Valenzuela was riding Courageous Cat for the first time on Saturday when they won the $300,000 stakes on turf. This is Valenzuela’s first Grade 1 victory after a six year hiatus.
Trained by William Mott, this son of Storm Cat and Tranquility Lake, ran a terrific race, finishing the mile long race in 1 minute and 33.19 seconds and defeating Caracortado under Joe Talamo.
Courageous Cat even crushed Victor's Cry, last year’s Shoemaker Miles' winner.
The Shoemaker Mile Stakes, originally known as Premiere Handicap is christened as a tribute to Bill Shoemaker, a Hall of Fame jockey.
This year’s stakes comprised a field of six, including Liberian Freighter, Caracortado, Victor’s Cry and Courageous Cat.
As the race unfolded, Liberian Freighter set the initial pace and then took hold of the lead for small fractions but as the end drew closer Valenzuela firmly positioned Courageous Cat on the
outside, followed immediately by Caracortado who gave him quite a chase in the last furlong.
It was certainly not a good day for defending champion Victor’s Cry as he ran a moderate race, never really giving any competition to the winner and runner-up.
After the victory an overjoyed Valenzuela said, "It was a nice way to get the 100th stakes win because Bill Shoemaker, he was my idol".
Courageous Cat’s owner, Martin Wygod, appreciated Valenzuela’s talent, saying, "He's a great professional. We try to give him every chance he deserves, and he does a great job”.
He further added that given Valenzuela’s age and previous substance abuse problems it’s a ‘good thing’ to see him perform well.
Valenzuela, who has been a jockey for over three decades now, got his big break at the Santa Anita Derby in 1980 and nine years later he won the Kentucky Derby while riding Sunday Silence.
Courageous Cat has had a fruitful year so far, winning both of his 2011 starts.
In 2010 he won the Grade 3 Poker Stakes at Belmont Park and a year earlier he finished in place position at the Breeder’s Cup Mile at Santa Anita.
At the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Mile he lost to Goldikova and in this year’s Breeders’ Cup Mile they will be facing each other again, and owner Wygod is determined to get revenge for the last defeat.
Before the 2009 Breeders’ Cup Mile, Courageous Cat won the Grade 2 National Racing Museum Hall of Fame Stakes and in 2010 he won the Gulfstream Park's Canadian Turf.
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