Miss Valentine Victorious in $75K Serena's Song Stakes

Favorite Miss Valentine (2-1) sat midpack for most of the way until jockey Joe Bravo stepped on the gas in the final turn to cruise to a three-length victory in Saturday's $75,000 Serena's Song Stakes, besting a field of seven three-year-old fillies.

With the victory, Miss Valentine will move on to the $150,000 Grade 3 Monmouth Oaks Stakes, which runs Saturday, August 13.

Miss Valentine is owned by Waterville Lake Stable and trained by Christophe Clement.

"I have to give all the credit to Christophe Clement," said Bravo. "He did a great job with this filly. He told me just to get her to relax early since she was stretching out to two turns for the first time in a while."

Finishing behind Miss Valentine, Withgreatpleasure (3-1) placed, and Belmont-winning ownership team George and Lori Hall’s homebred Coco Ecolo (7-2) showed after setting the pace early.

"There was a good honest pace, but this is a stakes race.  You have to respect everything.  Everyone is here to win,” said Bravo.

The stakes win marked the third in seven starts for Miss Valentine, a daughter of Afleet Alex from the Gilded Time mare Miss Yiayia.  She has now earned $154,800 for her ownership team.