(courtesy of The Paulick Report) Other than some minor scrapes and cuts, Crossed Sabres Farm’s multiple graded-stakes winner Valid emerged from Saturday’s $500,000 Gulfstream Park Handicap (G2) in good order, trainer Marcus Vitali said Sunday.
Making his fourth start of the Championship Meet, the 6-year-old gelding went to his knees in mid-stretch after clipping heels with Anchor Down while making a bid for the lead. The son of Medaglia d’Oro was able to gather himself and get back to running to finish fourth behind upset winner Blofeld.
Favored at 6-5 in the field of seven, Valid was placed third ahead of Anchor Down following a steward’s inquiry, earning $49,000 and moving over the $1 million mark in lifetime earnings, with $1,009,577 from 36 starts.
“The more I watched it, and the more I looked at it last night several times, he was the winner. No doubt in my mind. It’s a tough way to lose a race. It’s unfortunate,” Vitali said. “He looked good this morning. He looked like he was in a little bit of a fight but nothing major. He’s acting good, ate good last night, had a good attitude this morning. It was just unfortunate luck. I’m glad everybody lives for another race.”
Second in both the Hal’s Hope (G3) and Donn Handicap (G1) to multiple Grade 1 winner Mshawish after winning the Harlan’s Holiday Stakes earlier this winter, Valid has placed in the top three in 12 of 14 career starts at Gulfstream Park. Vitali planned to monitor him further before looking at another start.
“We’ll give him another week or two and we’ll make a decision,” he said. “Right now, we’re looking good.”