Valbruna two-for-two in Indiana

One week after romping by 11 lengths in a Grand Circuit contest at the Indiana State Fairgrounds, freshman trotter Valbruna returned to the Hoosier state. Friday evening she won again for trainer Ron Gurfein, claiming a $115,400 Kentuckiana Stallion Management Stake division in 1:57.4. Creamy Mimi won the second split in 1:57.

Despite a dominating victory last Saturday, driver Mike LaChance admitted Valbruna had trouble grabbing her bell boots. After cutting the boots to reduce their length and bringing her head up the Conway Hall freshman used Indiana Downs’ long stretch to propel to the lead and a significant payday Friday evening. She did so after issues in the last turn.

“She had a tough time in the last turn. I don’t know if she wasn’t grabbing the track completely,” LaChance said of the trip and subsequent victory. “I didn’t know if I’d get there, but I’d rather take a chance like that than to rush her into the turn.”

After the race Gurfein spoke highly of his charge, owned by Perretti Racing Stable and Black Horse Racing. The winning time established a new lifetime mark for the filly, a $190,000 purchase as a yearling. She trotted home in :28.1 to win by a length and a quarter over Bether Always. Nicole Kraft raced third.

“Times don’t mean anything to her,” Gurfein stated. “She was just awesome last week. She’s been like that all year.”

The second Kentuckiana division went to Creamy Mimi and Don Irvine Jr. in a speedy 1:57. The Conway Hall freshman trotted a :27.2 last quarter to blast by favorite Along The Way and LaChance in the lane and collect her first career triumph. Susan XYZ and Marcus Johansson finished third.

“My filly almost made a break in the final 40 yards of the last turn,” noted Irvine, who worked out a two-hole trip with the trotter. “I was told one of the things she does is finish strong. I got after her and she really flew then. She raced a tremendous last eighth of a mile.”

Creamy Mimi is owned by Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld. Gro Formia trains the freshman. Making only one previous start, Creamy Mimi finished third in the Review Stakes at Springfield.

Two Weeks Notice breaks track record

The highlights weren’t restricted to just freshman trotters. Later in the program six-year-old Yankee Glide gelding Two Weeks Notice broke the track record for trotters, a mark he previously shared with Los Barvos. With Rick Farrington in the sulky for trainer Steve Waller, Two Weeks Notice distanced himself from the field in the night’s $17,000 invitational, winning by six lengths in 1:52.1.

The winning time shared more than one second off the previous best 1:53.3, first set by Los Barvos in 2004 and later equaled by Two Weeks Notice last October. A winner of more than $280,000 in his career, the gelding is owned by Jason and Matt Sullinger of Lexington.

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