From Santa Anita Publicity
ARCADIA, Calif. (May 12, 2019)–Breaking from the rail, trainer Tim Yakteen’s Cordiality made an easy lead and proceeded to take eight pursuers on a merry chase en route to registering a 1 ¼ length victory in Sunday’s $100,000 Fran’s Valentine Stakes at Santa Anita. Ridden by Joe Talamo, bred by Edward Allred and owned by Donnie Crevier, the 6-year-old California-bred mare by Papa Clem got a flat mile on turf in 1:34.70.
“When I got back, I was surprised to see those fast fractions,” said Talamo. “Her ears were up and she was doing it so easy. The plan going in was to sit second, third or fourth, but when nobody went, we inherited the lead by accident. When the four (runner-up Queen Bee to You) came to her, I got a little concerned, but when I asked her turning for home, she kicked on and was very impressive.”
Most recently fifth, beaten seven lengths in the Grade II Royal Heroine Stakes at one mile on turf here April 6, Cordiality, who is out of the Unusual Heat mare Warmth, was off as the 5-2 second choice in the field of nine California-bred or sired fillies and mares and paid $7.00, $4.40 and $3.20.
“We had a plan for her when we claimed her (two starts back for $62,500 on Feb. 18), we just didn’t have a prep race,” said Yakteen. “So that’s why we had to run against those tough mares in her last race, but it worked out well for us.
“The 46 and two (fifths, for a half mile) didn’t concern me, but when she didn’t kick away at the quarter pole, I thought they were going to swamp her…But she showed her heart and determination, she’s a gritty mare.”
With the winner’s share of $60,000, Cordiality boosted her earnings to $502,835. A winner of last year’s Fran’s Valentine when trained by Mark Glatt, she now has three lifetime stakes wins, all versus state-breds and an overall mark of 29-10-7-3.
Ridden by Ruben Fuentes, Queen Bee to You, who was scratched out yesterday’s Grade III Santa Barbara Stakes, pursued the winner throughout and kept to her task in game fashion late, holding second by 1 ¼ lengths over Pulpit Rider.
Off at 14-1, Queen Bee to You paid $10.20 and $5.40.
Pulpit Rider, who had one horse beat going into the Club House turn, finished up well to be third by 1 ½ lengths over 9-5 favorite Gypsy Blu. Ridden by Aaron Gryder, Pulpit Rider was off at 5-1 and paid $3.40 to show.
Fractions on the race were 22.62, 46.16, 1:10.35 and 1:22.38.
Named for the late Earl Schieb’s multiple graded stakes winning homebred daughter of Saros, the Fran’s Valentine is part of the lucrative Golden State Series which is sponsored by the CTBA.