First Valiant Sign, with trainer Mike Joiner, is always ready to work.

© Richard Chamberlain

Q-RACING JOURNAL—AUGUST 31, 2016—First Valiant Sign always shows up.

The brown gelding by Valiant Hero has won three races and has never finished off the board in 10 career starts – and that’s always been against the top horses on the track. As a 2-year-old, First Valiant Sign won the Ruidoso Futurity (G1), finished second in the Rainbow Futurity (G1) and was fourth in the All American Futurity (G1), and returned at 3 to run fourth in the Rainbow Derby (G1). He has earned $795,799.

“He’s a real good, real solid, real consistent horse,” said trainer Mike Joiner. “He’s really a special kind of horse. He’s qualified for five Grade 1 races, when there’s been at least 10 or 12 trials apiece, and that’s pretty hard to do. That’s pretty hard to beat.”

First Valiant Sign is owned by the Levelland, Texas-based partnership of Scott Bryant, Joe Dee Brooks, R. Lee Lewis, and Derrol and R.D. Hubbard. The gelding is bred by Robert and Jill Mixer’s Mixer Ranch at Edmond, Oklahoma, whose program has program has produced the earners of more than $1.98 million since 2011. Those are from only 11 starters, including First Valiant Sign’s stakes-winning and Grade 1-placed half-sister A Tres Of Paint ($509,184, by Tres Seis), 2013 All American Futurity fastest qualifier Wagon Tales ($427,579) and Second Painted Sign ($101,604).

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