Rachel's Valentina

Background

Rachel's Valentina is a bay filly with a small, heart shaped star on her forehead, and three white socks (one on both hind legs and one on her right front leg). She was bred and raced by Stonestreet Stables, who also raced and owned her dam, Rachel Alexandra. Her sire, 2006 Preakness Stakes winner Bernardini, has also sired grade I winners Stay Thirsty, Alpha, Cavorting, and Greenpointcrusader, among others. She was sent into training with multiple Eclipse Award-winning trainer Todd Pletcher.

2015: two-year-old season

On August 2nd, Rachel's Valentina started in a six furlong Maiden Special Weight at Saratoga, with Eclipse Award-winning jockey, John Velasquez up. She was sent off as the even money favorite in the field eight fillies. She started a touch slowly, but moved up quickly on the turn and took the lead in the stretch to win by two lengths, in a time of 1:10.39. It was then announced that she would start in the grade I Spinaway Stakes against a promising field of fillies, including Adirondack Stakes runner-up Tonasah. Velasquez was again aboard her, and she started as the 8-5 favorite. After starting a touch slowly again, she moved up to third, and stalked the leaders until the top of the stretch, when she confronted Constellation for the lead. She then took the lead and won by a length over the fast-closing Tap To It. Her final time for the seven furlongs was 1:23.10. Pletcher stated after the race: "I thought she ran fantastic. Actually, she put herself into the race a little more than I thought she would, but she seemed to be tracking those horses well, and getting a little dirt as well. I felt like, turning for home, knowing her style and watching her train, that she was going to keep coming. I've always felt like the farther she goes, the better she gets, and I think that's proven to be true." Pletcher announced that Rachel's Valentina would simply train up to the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, preferring to skip the final group of prep races with her.

In the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, she was made the second choice behind the undefeated filly Songbird. Rachel's Valentina broke evenly, and moved up to second, a length behind the front-running Songbird. She stayed in that position until the final turn, when Songbird began to pull away from the rest of the field. Rachel's Valentina was moving well, but was no match for Songbird, finishing five and three-fourth lengths behind her in second.

2016: three-year-old season and retirement

As a 3 year old, Rachel's Valentina returned in the GI Ashland Stakes after a six-month layoff where she faced then undefeated Cathryn Sophia, Carina Mia, Weep No More and Banree. Rachel's Valentina broke a touch slowly while Cathryn Sophia and Carina Mia went to the lead. Rachel's Valentina then moved up and stalked a half length on the outside of Carina Mia with Cathryn Sophia sitting third. The three fillies battled around the turn and into the homestretch. At the top of the stretch Carina Mia gave way Cathryn Sophia had a short lead over Rachel's Valentina, but Rachel's Valentina battled back and took the lead at the 16th pole, but Weep no More at 30/1 made a strong move and passed her in the final strides and won by a neck over Rachel's Valentina. "It was a tough field," Banke said of the Ashland line-up. "They may have moved (on the front end) a little bit sooner than I would have liked them to, but she was coming back off a layoff. It was a good effort. We were watching her closely afterward because she's very special; we don't want to overtax her." As for making her first start in a grade I off more than a five-month layoff and then heading to the Oaks, Banke said: "We thought she was a little light going into the Breeders' Cup and we wanted to have for the summer and later in the fall," she said. "We wanted to make sure she was 150% before we put her back in training. So we didn't feel the need to bring her back early. We actually weren't even planning on the Oaks, but she's put herself there." Rachel's Valentina finished 6th in the GI Kentucky Oaks. After a good rest following an uncharacteristic run in the May 6 Kentucky Oaks, Rachel's Valentina's next start was the GI Mother Goose. She stumbled badly at the start and was never a factor finishing 5th, her trainer Todd Pletcher stated after the race : "I really don't have a great explanation (for Rachel's Valentina)," Pletcher said: "It looked like she was in a decent spot, but Johnny seemed like he had to start asking her for a lot earlier than you would expect him to. We'll see how she comes out of it and try to regroup." Rachel's Valentina was pointing to the GI Test Stakes on August 6th, but instead she retired. On Stonestreet Farms website it said Rachel's Valentina "will now retire from racing, sound and injury-free."

Rachel's Valentina will be bred to Curlin in 2017.