Value Plus

Home --> "Value Plus"

Value Plus (Aaron & Marie Jones) on back
Price: $19.95

Grey Colt by Unbridled’s Song-Roll Over Baby by Rollin on Over
Owner: Aaron and Marie Jones
Trainer: Todd Pletcher

At 2
2nd Belmont Futurity G1

At 3
2nd Florida Derby G1

Last Start: Allowance, February 6, 2005
Next Start: Undetermined
Horsehat.com Fast Fact: Value Plus’s sire, Unbridled’s Song, won the 1994 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile in just his third career start.

Value Plus is one of those horses that makes a splash just about every where he goes. Growing up at Taylor Made Farm in Nicholasville, Kentucky, the big gray colt became infamous for his, good natured but rough antics. At the Keeneland January Sale his looks and presence certainly caught the eye of bidders, as he was purchased for $1.1 million, the highest price of any yearling in the sales’ long history. Then in his first race at Saratoga in August of 2003 he was so impressive that many viewers thought they had just watched a replay of his sire, Unbridled’s Song, who had similarly trounced maiden competition at the Spa eight years earlier.

In his first start of 2004, the fans at Gulfstream Park were treated to a similar performance. After dueling through fast early fractions he rolled down the stretch, stopping the timer at 1:21 2/5 after seven eighths of a mile. That time was a full second faster than the G3 Swale stakes run four races later and won by multiple stakes winner Limehouse. Value Plus also earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 108. After the race The Blood-Horse Derby correspondent Steve Haskin had this to say:

“Well, we know that Value Plus is one of the fastest and most imposing 3-year-olds in the country, and that he dwarfs most opponents running alongside him. We know he has a magnificent stride that makes it look as if he's bounding along, taking one stride to everyone else's two…”.

Not long after that was written, Value Plus ran a game second to Friend’s Lake in the G1 Florida Derby, beating eventual G1-winners The Cliff’s Edge and Tapit.

An injury forced Value Plus to the sidelines midway through 2004. He is now, however, back racing. He ran a strong second to G1 winner Silver Wagon in an Allowance race at Gulfstream Park in early February. It shouldn't be too long before Value Plus is back making a splash in stakes competition.