Last year the California-based Venetian Harbor made three trips to Kentucky. She initially ran second in the Central Bank Ashland Stakes (G1), later won the Lexus Raven Run Stakes (G2), and then was eighth in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1), all at Keeneland.
Now her connections have planned an invasion to another track in the Bluegrass: Kentucky Downs. Co-owner Domenic Savides tweeted Sept. 2 that the speedy 4-year-old Munnings filly is pointed to the $600,000 Mint Ladies Sprint (G3T) there Sept. 11 with Florent Geroux booked to ride. The Ladies Sprint is a 6 1/2-furlong race over the all-turf oval.
Venetian Harbor has been doing so well. She will be pointed to the @KYDownsRacing Mint Ladies Sprint , @flothejock to ride. @JoeCiaglia @YardHighland @natemccauley . pic.twitter.com/8EXDJCzQtw
— Domenic (@Domsavides) September 2, 2021
Owned by Ciaglia Racing, Highland Yard, River Oak Farm, and Savides, Venetian Harbor has been first or second in nine of 10 races. In her first start of this year, she won the Monrovia Stakes (G2T), a grass sprint at Santa Anita Park June 5, before stretching out to 1 1/16 miles on dirt and running second to Shedaresthedevil in the Aug. 1 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes (G1) at Del Mar.
She is a three-time graded winner for trainer Richard Baltas, having also taken the Las Virgenes Stakes (G2) at Santa Anita early in 2020. She also placed in the Longines Test Stakes (G1) last year at Saratoga Race Course behind champion female sprinter Gamine.
She worked five furlongs in a bullet :59 4/5 at San Luis Rey Training Center in California Sept. 1.
