Sparkle Blue stepped her game up Friday afternoon at Keeneland, producing an excellent turn of foot under Joel Rosario to secure a 2½-length victory in the Gr3 Rubicon Valley View S.

Overlooked in her two most recent stakes appearances but backed to 2nd choice at Keeneland, the daughter of Hard Spun becomes the latest GSW from a family deep with high-class distaff runners.

The Graham Motion pupil now has four wins and a 2nd in the Woodford Reserve Virginia Oaks from seven starts, good for earnings of $357,075. Sparkle Blue is out of the Smart Strike mare Silk n’ Sapphire and was bred by Catherine Parke, who races her in partnership with George Strawbridge's Augustin Stable.

Four years earlier, across from the racecourse in the Keeneland Sales Pavilion saw a noteworthy chapter in the broodmare career of Sparkle Blue's 1/2 sister Shared Account, who sold at the 2018 November Sale to Sam-Son Farm for $550,000. Already a Breeders' Cup winner in her own right, the Pleasantly Perfect mare would join even more rarified company the following year when daughter Sharing landed the 2019 Juvenile Fillies Turf.

The 2022 Keeneland November Sale begins one week from Monday, preceded one afternoon earlier by the Fasig-Tipton November Sale.

Keeneland photo.