Talamo gets mount on Warren’s Veneda for Great Lady M

CYPRESS, Calif.– Warren’s Veneda will have a new but familiar rider when she starts in the $200,000 Great Lady M Stakes at Los Alamitos on July 12.

Trainer Craig Lewis said on Friday that Joe Talamo will ride Warren’s Veneda in the Grade 2 Great Lady M, replacing Tyler Baze, her regular rider this year. Baze is booked to ride the unbeaten Sunday Rules in the Great Lady M, which is run at 6 1/2 furlongs for fillies and mares.

Talamo rode Warren’s Veneda in 11 races earlier in her career, including a win in the Cat’s Cradle Stakes at Hollywood Park in November 2013. Last summer, Baze began riding Warren’s Veneda and has been aboard for her last eight races, including three stakes wins this year.

“They’re both good riders, but if you’ve got a good horse, it doesn’t matter,” Lewis said.

Owned by Ben Warren, Warren’s Veneda has won 8 of 24 starts and earned $883,612.

On Friday at Santa Anita, Warren’s Veneda breezed five furlongs in 59.80 seconds. Lewis said the Great Lady M is a prep for the $300,000 Clement Hirsch Stakes at 1 1/16 miles at Del Mar on Aug. 1.

“Hopefully, she gets something out of the race and we can plan on the race on Aug. 1,” he said.

Sunday Rules will be a formidable rival for Warren’s Veneda. Trained by Phil D’Amato, Sunday Rules has won five races, including the Spring Fever Stakes for California-bred fillies and mares at Santa Anita on May 23. The Great Lady M will be the graded stakes debut for Sunday Rules.

Owned by Nick Alexander, the 4-year-old Sunday Rules has earned $314,880.