Taylor Made stallion's freshman sire and Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Early Voting (Gun Runner ) sired his first winner from his first starter April 26 in the second race at Churchill Downs.
Arindel's 2-year-old filly, Valkyrie, won the 4 1/2-furlong maiden special weight by 1 length for trainer Kenny McPeek. After setting swift opening fractions of :23.17 and :45.70, she drew clear under jockey Declan Cannon at the 5/16 pole, turning away Cardio Cat and finishing in a final time of :52.97.
Valkyrie was bred in Kentucky by Ashley Hiller and purchased by Arindel for $30,000 as a weanling at the 2024 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. She is out of the winning Violence mare, Vegas Palm, who is a half sister to the multiple graded stakes-placed Competitive Speed.
Early Voting was bred by Three Chimneys Farm and purchased by Klaravich Stables for $200,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. He is Gun Runner's only classic-winning son and is out of a half sister to Speightstown. He raced under the care of trainer Chad Brown, winning the Withers Stakes (G3) at 2, and securing a victory in the 2021 Preakness Stakes.
Early Voting was ranked in the top five freshman sires by yearling average, and recently saw his 2-year-olds command hefty prices at the Ocala Breeders' Sales' March and Spring 2-Year-Olds in Training Sales. A filly out of the American Pharoah mare, Lipstikliesnlovers, brought $850,000 from Three Amigos at the OBS Spring Sale. The Early Voting filly breezed a swift quarter-mile in :20 2/5 for consignor Jesse Hoppel.
Early Voting stands at Taylor Made Stallions near Nicholasville, Ky., for an advertised fee of $12,500.
