Great Venezuela brings big Beyer edge to finale

Great Venezuela will be tough to contain if she runs back to her last start in the featured ninth race Thursday at Gulfstream Park.

She’s part of an eight-horse field for the 5 1/2-furlong sprint for 3-year-old fillies on Tapeta. The $35,000 starter allowance carries a claiming option of $50,000.

The race also is the final leg of the 20-cent Rainbow 6, projected to have a jackpot pool of $550,000. The bet runs on races 4 through 9.

Great Venezuela will be a single for many after her display of dominance in a $25,000 starter allowance in her last start April 21. She earned a career-high Beyer Speed Figure of 91 for her win in the 5 1/2-furlong race on Tapeta.

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“She’s a very nice filly,” trainer Victor Barboza Jr. said. “It was an impressive win the last race. She won last time by 11 lengths.”

Great Venezuela covered the distance in a blazing 1:02.93 and was flattered when third-place finisher Condora came back to win another starter allowance at Gulfstream. The Beyer that Great Venezuela earned is between 14 and 54 points higher than each last-race number put up by her rivals Thursday.

Barboza had been looking at stakes at Laurel and Woodbine for Great Venezuela, but the heavy rains that forced the cancellation of some racing and training last week at Gulfstream Park altered plans. He said the race Thursday could serve as a stepping-stone to a local stakes, the $95,000 Miss Gracie for 3-year-old fillies at a mile on turf Aug. 3.

“She’s run two turns – in December – and ran a very good race,” Barboza said. “The broodmare for the filly, she won five, six times on the turf.”

Great Venezuela was third by a length in the Wait a While in December, which was run at 7 1/2 furlongs on turf at Gulfstream.

For the immediate future, Barboza is hoping to see Great Venezuela get a sharp break from post 2 under regular rider Leonel Reyes.

“I need a good start,” Barboza said. “She’s a very smart filly. She’s very fast if you need her to run in front. If you need her to [sit] second or third, she does that very well. Very smart filly.”

Great Venezuela faces other speed Thursday in Vindicate Cha Cha and Warda. Vindicate Cha Cha met winners for the first time last out and set a quick pace while wiring her rivals over five furlongs on Tapeta. She will start from post 6.

Warda drew post 7, one start after tracking Vindicate Cha Cha and finishing second in the $35,000 starter allowance that was run May 30 at Gulfstream.

Avellino, who drew the rail, has more speed than she showed last time when finishing a troubled sixth behind Vindicate Cha Cha.

The Beyer of 77 that Vindicate Cha Cha earned is the second-best last-race number in the field Thursday.

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