A layoff of more than a year proved no hindrance to Kodiac's classy 8yo True Valour, who returned to action with a front-running victory in the $100,000 King T. Leatherbury Stakes at Laurel Park on Saturday.
Ridden by Feargal Lynch for Graham Motion, True Valour was capturing his fifth career stakes win and first since taking the 2019 Grade 3 City of Hope Mile and Grade 3 Thunder Road in back-to- back starts at Santa Anita Park.
"I think he makes me look good," said Motion. "I thought Larry [Johnson,owner] was crazy when he wanted to bring him back from an injury as an 8-year-old. He's just a really easy horse. He's done everything right since he came in the beginning of the year. I was very surprised to see him on the lead, quite honestly.
"He's a really honest, hard-knocking horse. Thanks to Larry for picking out this spot today."
Motion added: "He has a stallion's pedigree, and that was why Larry bought him in the first place."
Now the winner of seven races and almost $600,000, True Valour was bred by Pat O'Rourke at Belmont Stud out of Sutton Veny, a five-time winning daughter of Acclamation. He was purchased by us as a foal and resold as breezer to David Redvers.
He continues an excellent period for our breeze-up arm that also includes Perfect Power, Twilight Jet, Spycatcher, Spanish Mission and Maglev.
