The 43 to 1 long shot Daisy Devine shell shocked her rivals to win the Valley View at Keeneland
James M. Miller’s 3-year-old filly Daisy Devine stuns her rivals in the Grade 3, $150,000 Pin Oak Valley View at Keeneland on 21 October, 2011, after being sent at the odds of 43 to 1.
The long shot sprung up a huge surprise after sitting a perfect stalking under her jockey Calvin Borel. Andrew McKeever trained filly followed the pace setter In Step and jockey Garrett Gomez in the early going.
In Step over the 1 1/16 miles on the good turf led nine other 3-year-old fillies through splits of 23.32 seconds for the opening quarter mile, 47.72 for the half mile marker and going an impressive 1 minute and 12.50 seconds for the six furlong pole.
The favoured Bizzy Caroline under jockey Manoel Cruz along with Christmas Cove were trying to match strides with In Step, as they also got close to the pace.
The field of 10 swung around the turn into the stretch, and even then the pace setter In Step was in command and led the lot narrowly by half a length at around the eighth pole.
It all happened for Daisy Devine in the final furlong, as Calvin Borel wisely saved her up for the final burst coming in the stretch.
The momentum was the key, and Daisy Devine had stocked up plenty throughout the race and it all began when the field entered the stretch. Daisy Devine kept charging at In Step in the final furlong and finally edged past her in the final 100 yards.
The favourite to win the race, Bizzy Caroline wasn’t going to settle for third as she put in some extra yards to nip In Step by as head to cross the wire after Daisy Devine.
The daughter of Kafwain, out of Devil’s Dispute by Devil’s Bag, Daisy Devine completed the 1 1/16 mile distance in 1 minute and 43.30 seconds.
This was Daisy Devine’s second graded stakes win, and prior to it she landed the Grade 2 Fair Grounds Oaks at Fair Grounds race course on 26 March, 2011.
Daisy Devine, a two time winner as a juvenile improved her record 4 wins, single second and third place finish out of nine starts with the earnings of 488,349.
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