WRs Valentino, under jockey Juan Marquez, drives to victory in the $34,000 Overnight Stakes Tuesday Horseshoe Indianapolis.

© Coady Photography

SHELBYVILLE, IN–JUNE 7, 2022– Another year older hasn’t slowed WRs Valentino down a step. The now six-year-old rallied home with a big finish to win the $34,000 Overnight Stakes Tuesday, June 7 at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

Randy and Gwen Williams of William Racing Stables of LaCenter, Ky. are accustomed to having multiple horses in stakes action at Horseshoe Indianapolis, but it was a different pair side by side in the Overnight Stakes.

WRs Moonin Thewagon, now four, has stepped up to join WRs Valentino in the older ranks for the first time this season. They started from posts one and two, respectively, out of the gate and WRs Valentino was a force from the start.

Guided by Juan Marquez, WRs Valentino was in charge from the start. The Mighty B Valiant gelding was in an early battle with Hooked on Jordan and Isidro Banuelos that turned out to be a two-horse match down the stretch in the 350-yard dash.

In the end, WRs Valentino brought home the win by a head in :17.513 over Hooked on Jordan. High Rolling Seize and Shanley Jackson finished third.

WRs Valentino was the favorite of the nine-horse field, paying $3.80 for the win. He is conditioned by Horseshoe Indianapolis’ all-time leading Quarter Horse trainer Randy Smith for the Williams family.

The winning connections of Williams Racing Stables, Inc. in the Overnight Stakes winners circle Tuesday at Horseshoe Indianapolis. © Coady Photography

Smith has had the horse his entire career. After five years of racing, the veteran gelding has never finished worse than second in 18 career starts. He now has nine wins and nine seconds with earnings over the $375,000 mark.

"I thought he still had it, and proud he’s still got it," said Randy Williams of his consistent gelding. "We had some chips removed from him when he was younger, but nothing major. Randy (Smith) and his crew have worked hard on him. He’s not the easiest fella in the world to be around, but today he behaved."

The Smith Stable has learned how to work with WRs Valentino and keep him happy. The five-time stakes winner has a schedule in the barn, but on race days, he’s a different horse.

"Like Randy (Williams) said, he can be difficult," added Randy Smith. "He’s hard to walk and to get out of the barn in the morning, but when it comes time to race, he’s a professional. At the end of last season, we sent him home (Williams farm in Kentucky) to just let him be a horse. We brought him back the first of March and have just been getting him fit."

Gwen and Randy Williams also know he needs his own routine.

"When he’s at the farm, he’s like a big ole puppy dog," continued Randy. "When he walks from our big barn to his paddock, he stops and looks around and he might stand there for a couple of minutes. You just have to let him have his way. Then, he walks right to his paddock with no problems. Gwen handles him every day and she doesn’t have any problems."

The Williams family also has something to look forward to for this racing season. They have a pair of two-year-olds that are younger siblings to both WRs Valentino and WRs Moonin The Wagon.

"Those two foals were born within eight hours of one another, so we nicknamed the colt Donnie, and we named the filly Marie. They both raced out here last week and ran really well. We are pretty excited to have some younger horses to run in the stakes this year in Indiana."

WRs Hava Dasher (Marie), is a half-sister to WRs Valentino and was second in her racing debut May 31. WRs Painted Moon (Donnie), is a half-brother to WRs Moonin Thewagon and shares the grey coat of his older brother. He finished third in his racing debut May 26.

Runner-up Hooked On Jordan earned $6,800 for his effort. The stakes winning son of multiple stakes sire Fast Prize Jordan races for owner-trainer Ollie Matthews and was ridden by jockey Isidro Banuelos. Ron Raper bred the $170,655 earner in Indiana from the First Down Laveaux mare Hooked On Laveaux.

Trainer Matt Frazier saddled third-place finisher High Rolling Seize for owner-breeder Glen Graff. Jockey Shanley Jackson was aboard the son of Seize The Win from the Feature Mr Jess mare Crossing The Brazos. Winner of last year's QHRAI Stallion Service Auction Futurity, High Rolling Seize has earned $184,422.

Abe, Jess Gimme A Kiss, El Huracan Ethics, Jess Over Yonder and Wrs Moonin Thewagon completed the field.

Runner-up Hooked On Jordan earned $6,800 for his effort. The stakes winning son of multiple stakes sire Fast Prize Jordan races for owner-trainer Ollie Matthews and was ridden by jockey Isidro Banuelos. Ron Raper bred the $170,655 earner in Indiana from the First Down Laveaux mare Hooked On Laveaux.

Trainer Matt Frazier saddled third-place finisher High Rolling Seize for owner-breeder Glen Graff. Jockey Shanley Jackson was aboard the son of Seize The Win from the Feature Mr Jess mare Crossing The Brazos. Winner of last year's QHRAI Stallion Service Auction Futurity, High Rolling Seize has earned $184,422.

Abe, Jess Gimme A Kiss, El Huracan Ethics, Jess Over Yonder and Wrs Moonin Thewagon completed the field.

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The 20th season of live Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse racing extends through Wednesday, Nov. 23. Live racing is conducted at 2:30 p.m. Monday through Wednesday with Thursday post times set for 3:30 p.m.

A total of 12 Saturdays will feature live racing in 2022 highlighted by the 28th running of the Grade 3 $300,000 Indiana Derby and the 27th running of the Grade 3 $200,000 Indiana Oaks set for Saturday, July 9. For more information on live racing at Horseshoe Indianapolis, visit www.caesars.com/horseshoe-indianapolis.

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