Black Hornet stretches out on relatively short rest in Bold Venture
ETOBICOKE, Ontario – The speedy Black Hornet will lengthen out to 6 1/2 furlongs on fairly short rest in Saturday’s Grade 3, $150,000 Bold Venture Stakes at Woodbine.
Black Hornet rode an inside bias to victory Aug. 27 in the $125,000 Kenora, a six-furlong stakes for graduates of local yearling sales. He set sizzling fractions en route to a 3 1/2-length win, and his final time of 1:08.78 flirted with the Polytrack record. It translated to an 89 Beyer Speed Figure.
Trainer Pat Parente said the 4-year-old gelding was to slow to come around this year, and that the quick comeback for the Bold Venture is a concern.
“We fought a mucus issue with him all spring,” Parente said. “The vet seemed to think it was an allergy. It looks like he’s over it now.”
The Bold Venture was repositioned this year from July to complement Saturday’s excellent card, which is headed by the Grade 2 Summer and the Grade 2 Natalma.
KEY CONTENDERS
Black Hornet (Last 3 Beyers: 89-85-83)
◗ Parente said he’s not overly concerned with the move out to 6 1/2 furlongs.
“He has such a high cruising speed,” Parente said. “If he gets to go a little soft early, I think he’ll be able to carry it.”
Alpha Bettor (Last 3 Beyers: 83-98-91)
◗ Last year’s champion older male in Canada was supplemented for $3,000 by trainer Danny Vella.
◗ The 6-year-old has done the bulk of his damage going 1 1/16 miles or 1 1/8 miles but was victorious on the turnback to seven furlongs in an open allowance July 6.
Really Sharp (Last 3 Beyers: 78-68-91)
◗ He was really sharp in the spring, when he took the Grade 3 Vigil Stakes before ending up second to Frac Daddy in the Grade 2 Eclipse. He was softened up in a speed duel two starts back on the grass in the Grade 2 Nijinsky and also wilted from pace pressure when second in a recent second-level optional claimer.
Sensational Slam (Last 3 Beyers: 90-87-97)
◗ The durable 6-year-old didn’t disgrace himself last time, when he split a nine-horse field in the Grade 1 Forego at Saratoga. His two wins on synthetic were a pair of stakes scores here during his 2-year-old campaign, when he was trained by Todd Pletcher.
◗ He was supplemented by trainer Patrick Quick, who claimed him for a bargain $20,000 last year at Aqueduct.