A P Valentine - Three-year-old Campaign

Three-year-old Campaign

He began his three year-old campaign at Gulfstream where he was upset in an allowance race. In his next start, A P Valentine managed not only to win but to break the track record for 1.1875 miles (1.9111 km) at Hialeah, romping by 3-3/4 lengths in an optional claimer. For A P Valentine, that would be the last victory of his career that spanned three years.

In his three year-old stakes debut in the Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland Race Course, he was not a factor and ran fifth. He turned in yet another lackluster performance in the Kentucky Derby before regaining the form he showed as a two year old with runner-up performances to Point Given in both the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes.

In the Preakness Stakes, he was a luke warm 10-1 fourth choice in the morning line. A P Valentine faced a premium field of stakes winners that included Kentucky Derby Winner Monarchos, eventual Horse-of-the-Year Point Given, Derby runner-up Invisible Ink, multi-millionaire Congaree, Blue Grass Stakes runner-up Dollar Bill and local favorite Richly Blended. At the start of the race he was shuffled back by jockey Victor Espinoza as they passed the grandstand the first time around. Richly Blended and Congaree led most of the race. He raced seventh in a field of eleven during most of the early race. With three and a half furlongs to go A P Valentine split horses weaving his way through traffic while Point Given and Monarchos looped the field wide. At the top of the stretch Point Given took the lead and widened it to win by two lengths. A P Valentine bore down and was able to outfinish Congaree down the lane by a half length to win second place money of $200,000. Derby winner Monarchos faded to be no factor.

In the summer of 2001, he ran in the Jim Dandy Stakes, finishing fourth after losing a battle with Congaree for the show position. He followed with another fourth in the Travers Stakes.

AP Valentine made one final start in his career, the Jockey Club Gold Cup, a race that would be his only career race against older horses. After finishing in sixth, 29.5 lengths behind the winner, AP Valentine was retired. He finished his career with a record of three wins, three places and two shows in 13 starts and $864,170 in earnings.