Exotics Plays for the 2024 Valdale Stakes

A talented field of 10 sophomore fillies will run 6 1/2 furlongs on the Turfway Park synthetic strip in Saturday’s $125,000 Valdale S. The Kelsey Danner-conditioned #5 Nice as Pie was unplaced in a dirt debut at Colonial Downs, but the Tapiture filly has shown vast improvement at this meeting with a pair of impressive scores in succession. 

Valdale Exotics Plays

• $10 exacta 5 with 3,8,10 ($30)
• $4 trifecta key 5 with 3,8,10 ($24)
• 50-cent superfecta 5 with 3,8,10 with 3,8,10 with all ($21)

Nice as Pie graduated over a solid maiden special weight group on January 4, which preceded a dominant 7 1/4-length allowance coup in her latest showing. The bay filly owns good natural speed combined with a fine closing burst, and she seems poised to give a fine account of herself while making her stakes debut on Saturday. The Dede McGhee homebred will track from off of the early tempo prior to being asked for her best approaching the turn for home with regular rider Adam Beschizza taking the reins. 

I’m intrigued with Michael Ann Ewing’s #10 Summerintahoe who will make her three-year-old debut in the affair. By Tapit, the gray graduated on the surface in her final outing as a juvenile and has trained well in the interim. The $200,000 yearling purchase led at every call in her local score, but in a field with multiple early types in the mix, I expect her to rate early and kick for home while traveling in the clear throughout. Regular rider Declan Cannon will take the reins. 

#3 Vicountess has finished first or second in each of her trio of career tries to date, all on the all-weather, which includes a local allowance score last time out. The $87,000 two-year-old purchase has closed well in each of her lifetime starts to date and figures to sit a nice voyage from off the pace on Saturday with Gerardo Corrales in the silks. 

#8 Indian Ink is 2-for-2 in her career with both wins coming on the surface. Claimed out of her debut by John Ennis, the dark bay daughter of Runhappy has yet to be challenged following a pair of runaway tallies to date, and I feel that the Kentucky bred is the most dangerous speedy type in the field with Axel Concepcion on board.