The popular Valedictory Stakes (G3) will be held for the 70th time on December 7 at Woodbine, the longest race on the main track of the season. The $125,000 event is a test of stamina for the older horses still in action late in the season, but it also used to be the closing day feature and an even longer race.
The Valedictory is no longer the closing day feature, as there are two stakes races on the final weekend. The race also used to be 1 3/4 miles at Greenwood, and it would often feature exciting results, whether longshots or close finishes. The race was shortened to 1 1/2 miles for the 2021 edition.
Past winners of the Valedictory include champion and Hall of Famer He’s a Smoothie, champions Cozzene’s Prince and Cloudy’s Knight and recent heroes Melmich and Pumpkin Rumble.
In 2022, 42-to-1 longshot Wentru led almost the entire 1 1/2 miles and then landed in a dead heat with eventual champion Who’s the Star.
There are 11 horses entered in this year’s Valedictory, the 8th race on the Woodbine card on Saturday, with $2 million earner GET SMOKIN headlining the field. This seven-year-old by Got Stormy is a front-running distance specialist who has raced on turf for all but one of his 30 races. He came to Woodbine in June for the Eclipse Stakes (G2) and led most of the way before finishing fourth. He then won the Grade 2 United Nations (G2) at Monmouth at 1 3/8 miles on turf.
Originally raced by Sillimar Stable, which bought the gelding as a yearling for $11,000, Get Smokin was purchased privately by syndicate group Ironhorse Racing, Black Ridge Racing, T N T Stables and Saratoga Seven Stable late in 2021.
Get Smokin, trained by Mark Casse, has been off since September when he was well beaten for the second straight time, finishing last in the Grade 1 Turf Classic at Aqueduct. Woodbine’s leading rider Sahin Civaci will be on board him for the first time.
Speaking of Casse, he has won this race a record six times, including four of the last nine.
Multiple graded stakes-placed STANLEY HOUSE has been second or third in five graded stakes this season and he will be testing his distance strength in the Valedictory. Luis Contreras, who used to ride the four-year-old for trainer Mike DePaulo, is named to ride.
Breeders’ Stakes winner ROSCAR, trained by Rachel Halden, who is holding a hot hand these days, has Austin Adams on board and Mike Repole and St Elias Stables’ lightly-raced Loose Wire, winner of three of four races, has the red-hot Rafael Hernandez on board for trainer Kevin Attard.
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