Mark Valeski looks solid in the Peter Pan Stakes
Trainer Larry Jones seemed quite content when he was interviewed on 10 May, 2012, regarding his 3-year-old colt, Mark Valeski, regarding skipping the Grade 1, $2 million Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs on 5 May, 2012.
Rather the veteran trainer was found upbeat about the Grade 2, $200,000 Peter Pan Stakes on 12 May, 2012, at Belmont Park, that is where Mark Valeski weill be running after bypassing the Kentucky Derby.
His stout three-year-old is bred and owned by Brereton C. Jones, has been on the Derby trail since he turned a sophomore and turned in three races on the trot, which in reality weren’t so bad.
The Kentucky bred Proud Citizen colt broke his maiden at second asking last year, and this year kicked off with a win in an allowance/optional claimer over a distance of 6 furlongs at Fair Grounds Race Course.
His real test began in the Grade 2 Risen Star Stakes, where he was racing amongst the possible Kentucky Derby starters back then.
The stretch in distance from 6 furlongs to 1 1/16 miles wasn’t an issue, as Mark Valeski under jockey Rosie Napravnik finished a solid second to winner El Padrino, who covered the distance in 1 minute and 42.96 seconds, as Z Dager finished third on 25 February,
2012.
Staying at Fair Grounds Race Course, Mark Valeski stepped up in distance and participated in his last Derby prep race, the Grade 2, $2 million Louisiana Derby on 1 April, 2012, but a surprise 109 to 1 shout Hero Of Order notched the race from Mark Valeski,
as he finished second.
However, the decision of excluding his out of the Derby came when he was off colour in one of his last prep works for the Derby.
“He just wasn’t showing me that spark last weekend, then got up here and I think he had one of the fastest works from what I’ve seen all meet,” said Jones, referring to a Monday work in 59.66 seconds. “He took to it like a duck to water and showed he was
getting there, and hopefully, we got him where we want.”
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