SHELBYVILLE, Ind. (Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022) – WRs Valentino and Juan Marquez claimed back their title in the $109,080 Indiana Championship Thursday, Sept. 29 at Horseshoe Indianapolis. The duo turned in a stakes record performance to score their second title in the race they teamed up to win in 2020.
WRs Valentino was the first to load in the full field of 10 and waited patiently for the gates to open. Once the gates opened, he was an early leader from the outside and maintained his position throughout the 440-yard dash. His strongest suit is always the last few strides where he hit another gear to get in front and win by one-half length over stablemate On a New Note and Shanley Jackson. Hooked on Jordan and Isidro Banuelos maintained ground inside for third. The time was :21.611 a new stakes record.
“Last time he raced, we had some trouble,” said Marquez, who was unseated in the post parade last time out with WRs Valentino. “But today, he was good. We have been trying to correct everything and we’ve been working with him in the mornings, even at the gate. He was good in the gate. The hard part today was making him break, but once we got through that, he was good, and I was very confident in him.”
Marquez was greeted in the winner’s circle by his three-year-old daughter, Valentina, who was visiting Indiana for the first time. The name association with WRs Valentino makes the horse even more special to Marquez, who earned his fourth win, all stakes victories, on the striking dark bay son of Might B Valiant.
WRs Valentino was the favorite of the field, paying $7.40 for the win. It was his third win in four starts for 2022 under the care of trainer Randy Smith, who also trains runner-up finisher On a New Note. The win in the Indiana Championships for WRs Valentino was his 11th in 21 starts overall. His bankroll has now moved over $480,000 for Gwen and Randy Williams of Williams Racing Stables Inc. of LaCenter, Ky.
“We’ve only had one other horse in our career that was like him (WRs Valentino) and that was WR’s Special Shoe,” said Randy Williams. “He is a tremendous horse and has the will and want to. He’s six now so you know he’s got little aches and pains just like I do at 73, but you know he’s going to forget all about that when it’s time to race. He’s big and strong and has the heart for it.”
WR’s Valentino now has seven stakes wins for his connections. All 21 of his races have been recorded in Indiana, and the Williams are hoping to be part of the AQHA Challenge Championship Night set for Saturday, Oct. 22 at Horseshoe Indianapolis.
“There’s a chance he’ll get in one of the undercard races ($30,000 Clarksville Championship) on Challenge Night,” added Williams. “We have friends all around the country that will be here that night for the Challenge. They’ve read about him (WRs Valentino), but they’ve never seen him race. I sure hope he can run and show them what he can do.”
Photos by Coady Photography
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