ARCADIA, Calif. (May 24, 2025) – Sneaker took them wire to wire in winning Saturday’s $100,000 Fran’s Valentine Stakes for Golden State Series-eligible fillies and mares at Santa Anita.
Sneaker is by Oscar Performance, out of the Giant’s Causeway mare Lime Beach, was bred Fountain of Youth Breeding, is owned by R L Stables and trained by George Papaprodromou.
“We are really proud, we believe in Cal-breds,” said Gayle Van Leer of the ownership group. “This filly just really fit the R L Stable program and we are happy to be a winner today.”
She has four wins in 14 starts, earnings of 261,948 and was coming off a third in the Apr. 26 Royal Heroine.
“She loves to get the lead, that is her style, but she stepped a little slow from the gate,” jockey Kaz Kimura said. “That’s why I had to hustle a little bit from the gate to stay on the (rail). I was confident. Last time she finished well in the Grade 3, so she was ready today.”
“It set up well and she was well within herself,” Papaprodromou said. “This was a very good race for her, but I thought her last race was just as good, maybe better. Tough competition. I’m very happy with her progression.”
Sneaker ran the mile on turf in 1:35.88 and won by 2 ¼ lengths as the second choice at odds of 2-1. Cornelia Fort was second and favored Prancingthruparis was third in the field of seven.
Breaking from the rail, Sneaker (2-1) was hustled out of the gate and was soon joined up front by Prancingthruparis, who like Sneaker was 2-1 on the board but had slightly more money in the win pool. Sneaker would maintain a slight advantage on Prancingthruparis through fractions of 23.35, 47.40 and 1:11.52 for six furlongs.
At the top of the stretch, Prancingthruparis appeared to get ahead of her pace rival, but Sneaker would prove not to be finished. The 4-year-old Oscar Performance filly dug in gamely to answer the challenge and edged away late to earn her first stakes win. Cornelia Fort (11-1), ridden by Antonio Fresu, rallied to be second by one length over Prancingthruparis.