It was a bit of a roller coaster for the connections of WRs Valentino, but the veteran professional got his job done to win his second straight Bradford Stakes at Horseshoe Indianapolis Wednesday in Shelbyville.
The sometimes temperamental gelding got loose in the post parade, but jockey Juan Marquez climbed back aboard, and the duo turned in an impressive performance for the win.
Starting from the outside post 10, WRs Valentino (photo) got a great break from the gate, but there was a lot of firepower on the inside of him, including four opponents with six figure bankrolls.
One of those horses was the Canadian superstar Country Boy 123, who had back-to-back wins in the Bradford in 2019 and 2020. The biggest threat early on was from the center of the track as stablemate WRs Moonin Thewagon and German Rodriguez took over in the first few strides of the 400-yard dash.
Halfway down the stretch, WRs Valentino hit another gear as he always does and moved in front of the field for the win by a half length. On a New Note and Shanley Jackson finished second over WRs Moonin Thewagon to give trainer Randy Smith a trifecta finish in the race.
WRs Valentino was the favorite, paying $3.60. The now six-year-old son of Mighty B Valiant earned his 10th trip to the winner’s circle. He has yet to finish back of second in 18 career starts. Gwen and Randy Williams of LaCenter, Kentucky, were trackside to greet WRs Valentino following his sixth career stakes win. They also have a lot to look forward to from the family as the brood mare, WRs Kissandteller, is still providing foals for their racing operation.
“Right now, the little sister is looking really good,” said Randy Williams. “His lil sister (WRs Hava Dasher) set the fastest time in the Heartland Futurity trials. Plus we have a weanling filly at home we are excited about from that family.”
WRs Valentino is now six, but for the Williams family, they are hoping he is just getting started.
“WRs Special Shoe was the best horse we’ve ever had, and he ran until he was 10,” added Williams. “We made over a million in his career, so we hope ‘Valentino’ will keep going. Last fall, he had his checkup with Dr. Timm (Gudehus of the Caesars Entertainment Equine Specialty Hospital), and we didn’t have to have a thing done to him. Gwen led him in and out of the barn all winter at our farm and we saw he was ready to go back to the track, so we called Randy (Smith) and so far, he’s had two wins.”
WRs Valentino moved over the $400,000 mark in career earnings with his win in the Bradford. The Kentucky bred gelding has raced his entire career at Horseshoe Indianapolis and broke his maiden in his first start. Smith, Indiana’s all-time leading Quarter Horse trainer, has conditioned the horse from the start. He keeps the well-built beautiful gelding in top form for Williams, who named him “Valentino” because he was born on Valentine’s Day in 2016.
