Valkyrie streaked to an impressive victory in a $92,000 maiden special weight at Churchill Downs on Sunday, becoming the first starter and first winner for Taylor Made Stallions’ Classic winner Early Voting.
Owned by Arindel and trained by Kenny McPeek, Valkyrie broke alertly under Declan Cannon and shot to the lead shortly after the start of the 4 ½-furlong fixture. He forged to a clear advantage at the five-sixteenths pole, shrugging off early pressure from Storm Diva and repelling a challenge from Cardio Cat at the head of the lane. Valkyrie surged clear in the stretch to score by a length at the finish, stopping the clock in 52.97.
Valkyrie is out of the Violence mare Vegas Palm, an earner of $143,461 during her racing career and a half-sister to stakes winner and graded stakes-placed Competitive Speed. Bred in Kentucky by Ashley Hiller, Valkyrie was acquired by Arindel out of the 2024 Keeneland November Sale.
Early Voting, a son of leading stallion and Horse of the Year Gun Runner, won the 2022 Preakness S. (G1), defeating subsequent champion 3-year-old Epicenter in a final time of 1:54.54—faster than Triple Crown winners American Pharoah and Justify. The Klaravich Stables colorbearer was also precocious, winning first time out at two and then capturing his sophomore bow by taking the Withers S. (G3) for trainer Chad Brown.
Early Voting’s first 2-year-olds have been hot commodities in the auction ring this year, commanding up to $850,000, $510,000, and $510,000, etc. at the recently concluded OBS Spring Sale, and $475,000 at the OBS March Sale. He saw his first yearlings light up the board last year when he was represented by a $700,000 colt and a $525,000 colt at Keeneland September, and a $525,000 co-sale topping filly at the Fasig-Tipton New York Bred Yearling Sale.
Bred in Kentucky by Three Chimneys Farm, Early Voting is out of a Tiznow half-sister to Speightstown. The Classic winner was a $200,000 Keeneland September Sale graduate. For more information on Early Voting, contact Travis White at (859) 396-3508, or Brock Martin at (859) 881-6148, or visit www.taylormadestallions.com.
