Red-hot Rusty takes Valley View (Poolside With Slim) and Myrtlewood (Echo Sound)
Stakes recaps by Keeneland’s publicity department (Coady Media/John Gallagher photo above of Poolside With Slim winning the Valley View)
LEXINGTON, KY (Oct. 25, 2024) – Trainer Rusty Arnold earned his second consecutive stakes victory on the Friday card at Keeneland – and recorded his third win of the day – when he sent out Glenn Bromagen II, Patrick Lewis and Sandra Bromagen’s Poolside With Slim (IRE) to win the $350,000 Bank of America Valley View (G2) for 3-year-old fillies.
In the race prior to the Bank of America Valley View, Arnold took the $200,000 Myrtlewood with Echo Sound. His three wins on Friday pushed his number of Fall Meet victories to eight.
Ridden by Frankie Dettori, Poolside With Slim fought through on the inside and held off Pharoah’s Wine to win by 1¼ lengths. In capturing her first graded stakes, she covered 1 mile on a turf course labeled as firm in 1:36.
Bred by Kilweelran Ltd. in Ireland, Poolside With Slim is by Churchill (IRE) out of Kissepal, by Epaulette. She earned $169,725 for the victory to boost her bankroll to $338,713 and improve her record to 8-3-1-0.
Poolside With Slim paid $7.94, $4.54 and $3.82. Pharoah’s Wine, who was ridden by Corey Lanerie, paid $16.34 and $9.28 and finished a head in front of Buttercream Babe, who paid $6.52 to show under Irad Ortiz Jr.
Simply in Front was fourth and was followed by Les Reys (FR), Memorialize, Kalispera (IRE), Dancing N Dixie, Opera Mundi (IRE), Nice as Pie, Uphill Dance and Sakura Blossom.
Quotes from the $350,000 Bank of America Valley View (G2)
Click here for a replay of the race and the post-race interview with winning connections.
Rusty Arnold (winning trainer of Poolside With Slim-IRE)
On changing tactics with Poolside With Slim, from racing near the front to coming from behind
“She had hung a couple of times, when it looked like she was going to win and didn’t get there. Actually, too, we backed her up to a mile, which I think helped her a little bit. She is one of those fillies that’s got a short kick, and the longer you wait, the better you are.”
On winning both of today’s stakes as well as the fifth race, an allowance
“I’m having a very good day.”
Frankie Dettori (winning rider)
“She was in the lead in most of her races the beginning of the spring, but the trainer (Rusty Arnold) told me to change tactics and get behind one, and I did. (Jockey) Corey (Lanerie on Pharoah’s Wine) was going very slow, but I could see his horse was hanging out. We were tight, and she was very brave. Once she got right through there, she was very brave and ran for the line.”
Corey Lanerie (rider of runner-up Pharoah’s Wine)
“(My trip) was great. She went out there, and she was happy. Running and relaxed. It was a perfect trip. I just wish I would have shut the door on the inside. When I pressed on her about the quarter pole and again at the three-sixteenths (pole) for more, she dug in and she darted for home. At that point, I didn’t think anybody would catch me.”
Flavien Prat (rider of fifth-place finisher and beaten favorite Les Reys-FR)
“I had a good trip. I tipped her out and she ran steady.”
Undefeated Echo Sound Cruises to Myrtlewood Victory at Keeneland
LEXINGTON, KY (Oct. 25, 2024) – Gabriel Duignan’s Echo Sound remained unbeaten in three starts when she caught the leaders down the stretch and rolled to a 2½-length victory in the $200,000 Myrtlewood for 2-year-old fillies at Keeneland on Friday, the next-to-last day of the Fall Meet.
Ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr. for trainer Rusty Arnold, the daughter of Echo Town covered 6 furlongs in 1:10.65. She earned $116,250 for the victory to increase her bankroll to $230,495.
Bred in Kentucky by Springhouse Farm, Vision TBs, Bruce Pieratt and Patricia Pieratt, Echo Sound is out of the Fusaichi Pegasus mare Eagle Sound. She is a half-sister to Pick of the Litter, winner of Keeneland’s Hagyard Fayette (G2) in 2014.
Echo Town paid $8.96, $5.34 and $3.52. Praying, ridden by John Velazquez, returned $14.12 and $6.54. Finishing 1¼ lengths behind in third was Trust Fund Philly, who paid $3.24 to show.
Keeneland held two stakes Friday. Race 9 was the 34th running of the $350,000 Bank of America Valley View (G2), won by another Arnold trainee, Poolside With Slim (IRE). A race recap and quotes from winning connections will follow.
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Quotes from the $200,000 Myrtlewood
Click here for a replay of the race and the post-race interview with winning connections.
Rusty Arnold (winning trainer of Echo Sound)
“It was a step up in company, and she’s answered every question. Hopefully she’ll move forward into graded stakes.”
Irad Ortiz Jr. (winning rider)
“First of all, I want to say thank you to (trainer George) Rusty (Arnold) and the owner (Gabriel Duignan) for the opportunity. She’s a very nice filly. She’s undefeated. She does everything right and was ready to run.”
John Velazquez (rider of runner-up Praying)
“Perfect trip. She broke out of there in a hurry. My job was to give her a little chance the first part of the race. She settled a little bit and it was time to let her go. The best horse ran her race today. I didn’t have to press early. That’s where she wants to be.”
Jose Ortiz (rider of third-place finisher and beaten favorite Trust Fund Philly)
“It was good. Broke good. Followed the right horse, the winner. I was third best today. (The pace) was a little bit fast early, but I expected that. There were a few horses that had speed and I knew we were gonna go out there. It was a good race overall.”
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Saturday is closing day of Keeneland’s 17-day Fall Meet. The 10-race card, which begins at 1 p.m. ET, features three stakes:
Race 6 (3:40 p.m.) is the fifth running of the $200,000 Bowman Mill for 2-year-olds racing
6 furlongs.
Race 8 (4:44 p.m.) is the 67th running of the $350,000 Hagyard Fayette (G2), a 1 1/8-mile race for 3-year-olds and up.
Race 9 (5:16 p.m.) is the 20th running of the $600,000 Bryan Station (G3) for 3-year-olds going
1 mile on the turf.
Keeneland will offer a Pick 6 carryover of $72,981.
