Valiance

Valiance opened her career with three straight wins by open lengths, all on turf, capped by a win in the Open Mind Stakes at Monmouth Park in the final race of her 3-year-old season.

Unplaced in a pair of stakes to begin her 4-year-old campaign in 2020, she got back on track with a confidence-building win by a nose in a 1 1/16-mile allowance/optional claiming race at Colonial Downs July 28. In her next start, she earned her first career stakes win when she swept past Gotham Gala in the stretch of the off-the-turf Eatontown Stakes Aug. 29 at Monmouth Park in her first start on the main track.

That start on dirt gave trainer Todd Pletcher the confidence ship Valiance to Kentucky for the Grade 1 Juddmonte Spinster Stakes at Keeneland on Oct. 4.

With Luis Saez riding for the first time, Valiance stalked the pace set by Kentucky Oaks winner Swiss Skydiver, took the lead in midstretch, and was all out to hold off a late challenge by Grade 1 winner Ollie’s Candy to post a breakthrough win by three quarters of a length. She earned an automatic berth in the Nov. 7 Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Keeneland with the victory.

In the Distaff, Valiance finished a closing second to superstar Monomoy Girl in that future Hall of Famer's final career start.

Valiance is owned by Owned by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Martin Schwartz and China Horse Club International. Grade 1 winner Last Full Measure, by Empire Maker, is the dam (mother) of Valiance. Her grandam (maternal grandmother), Lazy Slusan, was a two-time Grade 1 winner.