Venti Valentine

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Pressure? What pressure. There was none of that over at trainer Kenny McPeek's barn at the Oklahoma Annex Friday morning. Even though the stable star--the imposing, impressive and almost undefeated 3-year-old filly Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna)--is running on Saturday, no one on McPeek's staff was sweating bullets. Thorpedo Anna is the 1-2 morning-line favorite in the $500,000 GI Coaching Club American Oaks at 1 1/8 miles at Saratoga Race Course. She has won five of six career starts and has won all three of her races...

Americanrevolution (Constitution)'s rapid development last season earned him New York-bred Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old male honors during the New York Thoroughbred Breeders Inc.'s Annual Awards Ceremony on Friday, Aug. 12 at Fasig-Tipton's Humphrey S. Finney Sales Pavilion. Bred by Fred Hertrich and John Fielding and owned by CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm, Americanrevolution went from a maiden in June to a Grade I winner by December to lock up his championships. The 2021 New York-bred Horse of the Year and divisional champions were chosen by a vote...

The 13-2 longest price on the board in a compact field of four, Klaravich Stables' Gerrymander (Into Mischief) sat a perfect inside trip and responded when push came to shove to comfortably take out Saturday's GII Mother Goose S. at Belmont Park, becoming the 50th winner at the graded level for her outstanding sire. Quickly into stride for Joel Rosario, the $375,000 Keeneland September acquisition set the pace in advance of heavily favored Juju's Map (Liam's Map), but last year's GI Darley Alcibiades S. winner and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile...

A pair of graded stakes for 3-year-olds highlight Saturday's racing action, starting with the GII Mother Goose S. at Belmont. Two of the five fillies are looking to rebound after off-the-board finishes in the May 6 GI Kentucky Oaks, 'TDN Rising Star' Shahama (Munnings) (sixth) and Venti Valentine (Firing Line) (14th). Shahama is making just her second U.S. start after starting her career with a perfect four-for-four record during her time in Dubai. Her trainer Todd Pletcher is looking for his seventh Mother Goose victory here. "It was hard to...

A trio of GI Kentucky Derby contenders put in their final works ahead of next weekend's Run for the Roses. The only one of the three to work at Churchill Downs was GI Toyota Blue Grass S. winner Zandon (Upstart). Working on his own at 7:30 a.m. over a fast track with regular morning partner Kriss Bon aboard, the Chad Brown pupil completed the five furlongs in 1:00.40 (7/43). Churchill Downs clockers caught Zandon in fractions of :12.80, :25, :36.80, 1:00.40 and out in 1:12.80 and 1:26.40. "I just didn't...

Venti Valentine (Firing Line), a dominating seven-length winner with a flashy 92 Beyer in the Busher Invitational S. Mar. 5, will be favored over seven rivals to punch her ticket to the GI Kentucky Oaks via Saturday's GIII Gazelle S. at Aqueduct. The New York-bred fell just a neck short of Nest (Curlin) two back in last December's GII Demoiselle S. over track and trip, the only blemish in her four career starts. "We knew she had talent early on, and turning from two to three, you could see the...

Evidently she's no Busher, to look at. Between 2011 and 2018, in fact, she changed hands four times as a pregnant mare at Keeneland, her value gradually declining until the late Mike Recio was able to purchase her for just $13,000. The previous evening, Recio had called Dan Zanatta, founding/managing partner of Final Furlong Racing with Vince Roth, and announced: "Tomorrow morning, I'm buying you a broodmare." Zanatta was not enthused. Final Furlong was evolving nicely, syndicating New York-bred fillies. Though they did have one broodmare, apart from pinhooking weanlings,...

It was a big weekend for the 3-year-old fillies with prep races for the GI Longines Kentucky Oaks held at Aqueduct, Santa Anita, Gulfstream and Turfway. Secret Oath (Arrogate) remains on top for Wayne Lukas, but it was tempting to move Kathleen O. (Upstart) to the top spot after another impressive win, this time in the GII Davona Dale S. In California, the Bob Baffert-trained Eda (Munnings) won the GIII Santa Ysabel S., but until the Baffert horses are nominated to the Oaks they won't be included in our rankings....

BUSHER INVITATIONAL S., $242,500, Aqueduct, 3-5, 3yo, f, 1m, 1:39.65, ft. 1--VENTI VALENTINE, 118, f, 3, by Firing Line                 1st Dam: Glory Gold, by Medaglia d'Oro                 2nd Dam: Gayla, by Lord Gaylord                 3rd Dam: La Chela (Arg), by Utopico (Arg) O-NY Final Furlong Racing Stable & Parkland Thoroughbreds; B-Final Furlong Racing Stable & Maspeth Stable (NY); T-Jorge Abreu; J-Manuel Franco. $137,500. Lifetime Record: 4-3-1-0, $366,250. *1/2 to Espresso Shot (Mission Impazible), MSW, $516,625. 2--Shotgun Hottie, 120, f, 3, Gun Runner--Re Entry, by Malibu Moon. ($45,000 2yo '21...

Jay Em Ess Stable's Happy Medium (Runhappy) posted his first breeze since his 'TDN Rising Star' performance Dec. 18, which was his third consecutive daylight win. The freshly minted 4-year-old was out for a half-mile work Sunday over the Belmont training track, getting the four furlongs in an easy :51.22. "He worked well this morning," said trainer Michelle Nevin. "It was just an easy breeze, which was what I wanted." A $300,000 Keeneland September yearling, Happy Medium had debuted with a third at Aqueduct last March before heading to the...

Todd Pletcher looks to double up in Saturday's juvenile events, sending out morning-line favorite Nest (Curlin) in Aqueduct's GII Demoiselle S. just 30 minutes after he saddles Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo) in the GII Remsen S. Romping by five lengths in her two-turn Belmont unveiling Nov. 5, the $350,000 KEESEP purchase checked in third in Belmont's one-mile Tempted S. Nov. 5. Pletcher also saddles Miss Interpret (Street Sense), winner of an off-the-turf renewal of the P.G. Johnson S. "She should love the mile and an eighth. She had a good...