By Joe Bianca
A full field of 14 sophomore turf fillies line up in Friday's GIII Pin Oak Valley View S., where the toughest task may be making a morning line in the wide-open event.
The horse given the slight favoritism nod at 5-1 is James M. Miller's Lovely Bernadette (Wilburn), who comes off a win in the Indiana Grand S. last out Sept. 6, beating several of today's rivals. Prior to that, she was third in a pair of stakes, both times behind a pair of re-opposing foes, finishing third in the GIII Pucker Up S. and Ta Wee S.
First in the Pucker Up was Agave Racing Stable's Fault (Blame), a $50,000 claim for Michelle Lovell earlier this year who came to hand over the summer. She followed her Arlington heroics with a good third at nearly 15-1 in the GII Sands Point S. Sept. 16 at Belmont.
Sam-Son Farm's Journey Home (War Front) started her career two-for-two, taking last November's GIII Jimmy Durante S. at Del Mar, but has gone just one-for-six since. Sweeping Paddy (Paddy O'Prado), a dominant winner of the GIII Regret S. June 17, tries to bounce back after finishing last of 10 in Saratoga's GIII Lake George S. July 21.
Michael House's Fizzy Friday (GB) (Royal Applause {GB}) is an intriguing longshot. Brought over from Ireland after taking the first two outings of her career, the bay is winless in four North American starts, but ran big when second in the Riskaverse S. Aug. 24 at Saratoga, getting her last quarter-mile in :21.84. Prior to that, she was fifth in the Lake George, coming home in :28.09 for her final five-sixteenths.
Defiant Honor (Speightstown) captured the Risakverse, but will need to rebound after checking in last of eight in the Sands Point.
Three Diamonds Farm's progressive I'm Betty G (Into Mischief) has a big chance. Off the board in three dirt starts to open her account, the $150,000 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic buy has been in the trifecta in all four starts since moving to turf, finishing second at 23-1 in the Indiana Grand and third at 10-1 last out in the GIII Commonwealth Oaks Sept. 30 at Laurel.
Finally, a pair of fillies with no stakes experience also merits looks. Clairborne Farm homebred Chastise (Blame) broke her maiden over this course last October and pulled off a 21-1 shocker Aug. 19 at Saratoga in her only start as a 3-year-old thus far. Don Alberto Stable's Dolce Lili (Scat Daddy) moved forward steadily in four turf starts this summer at Monmouth and stamped herself as a promising sort with a powerful allowance score there Sept. 10.
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