Watch: Venetian Harbor makes case for Breeders’ Cup bid with stakes win at Keeneland
After barely missing out on a trip to the winner’s circle in three straight graded stakes contests, a young Kentucky-bred filly finally found her way back during the Fall Meet at Keeneland.
Venetian Harbor scored a gate-to-wire win in the Grade 2, $200,000 Lexus Raven Run Stakes on Saturday.
The 3-year-old Richard Baltas trainee broke as the 8-5 favorite from post No. 5 under jockey Manny Franco, immediately shot to the lead and took the rail.
Venetian Harbor led comfortably for most of the 7-furlong dirt contest before 9-1 shot Finite made a move in the stretch and charged toward the front. Venetian Harbor responded when Franco asked for more and held on to win by a neck.
It had been more than eight months since Venetian Harbor won the Las Virgenes Stakes at Santa Anita. In her three most recent outings she finished second in the Fantasy Stakes at Oaklawn, the Ashland Stakes at Keeneland and the Longines Test Stakes at Saratoga.
Heading into Saturday, Baltas indicated he wanted to see how Venetian Harbor fared in the Raven Run before pursuing a bid in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint next month at Keeneland. After the big win, co-owner Joe Ciaglia indicated that Venetian Harbor is indeed Breeders’ Cup bound.
“Our intention was to go to the Breeders’ Cup but we felt like this might be a good opportunity to get a race under her when we felt like she was 100 percent,” Ciaglia said after the Raven Run. “We made the right decision and we couldn’t be any happier today.
“She’s great out of the gate, she’s tenacious. And that’s what I think you need to win some races.”
Asked if he’d seen enough to commit Venetian Harbor to the Breeders’ Cup, Ciaglia responded: “Absolutely ... let’s do it.”
Champagne celebration
Perhaps the biggest upset so far during the Fall Meet came in race No. 3 on Saturday, when 15-1 long shot Champagne Bling won the 6-furlong, $21,000 claiming contest.
A 5-year-old mare trained by Kelli Martinez and ridden by Armando Martinez, Champagne Bling charged past heavy 2-5 favorite Kiffle in the stretch and cruised to her second straight victory. She now has a career record of 5-7-6 in 31 starts.
Kiffle held on for second while 8-1 All Fact finished third.
Champagne Bling paid $32.60, $7.20 and $4 for the win. The victory pushed her career earnings over $100,000.
Leaderboard check
Entering Saturday, Tyler Gaffalione had a big lead in the chase for the Fall Meet jockey title at Keeneland. After Friday’s races, the 26-year-old star who won last year’s Preakness had 15 victories during the meet.
Florent Geroux and Luis Saez were tied for second with nine wins apiece.
Gaffalione’s pursuit of the title was aided by Saez’s departure from Keeneland. All of Saez’s wins came during opening weekend, which was laden with Breeders’ Cup Championships prep races. He then departed Lexington to ride at Belmont Park in New York.
Thanks largely to victories in the Grade 1 Darley Alcibiades (aboard Simply Ravishing), the Grade 1 Claiborne Breeders’ Futurity (Essential Quality) and the Grade 2 Woodford Stakes (Leinster), Saez still enjoyed a significant lead on the money board.
In his 22 opening weekend starts, Saez earned his connections $1,182,436 in purses. Gaffalione entered Saturday having earned $896,476 in purses in 74 starts.
Keeneland 2020 Fall Meet
When: Through Oct. 24 (no spectators allowed)
Race days: Wednesdays through Sundays
First post: 1:05 p.m.
This story was originally published October 17, 2020 at 7:02 PM.
