Venetian Harbor retired after injury in workout

Venetian Harbor, a three-time Grade 2 winner, has been retired after sustaining an injury to a foreleg in a recent workout, trainer Richard Baltas said on Monday.

“She can’t race anymore,” Baltas said. “She’ll be sound to be bred and be a mother, but her racing career is over unfortunately.

“She gave us a good journey. Everybody was a little sad when we found out. She’s done a lot.”

A 4-year-old filly by Munnings, Venetian Harbor was under consideration for the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint at Del Mar on Nov. 6 when the injury was detected over the weekend. Venetian Harbor worked five furlongs in 59 seconds at the San Luis Rey Downs training center in San Diego county on Oct. 7.

Baltas said the injury will not require surgery.

“She’ll be turned out,” he said. “We’ll go easy.”

No breeding plans have been finalized, Baltas said.

Venetian Harbor won 4 of 11 starts and earned $699,400 for the partnership of Ciaglia Racing, Highland Yard LLC, River Oak Farm, and Domenic Savides.

Venetian Harbor’s Grade 2 stakes wins were the Las Virgenes Stakes at a mile at Santa Anita in February 2020, the Raven Run Stakes at seven furlongs at Keeneland last October, and the Monrovia Stakes at 6 1-2 furlongs on turf at Santa Anita in June in her first start this year.

Purchased for $110,000 as a yearling, Venetian Harbor finished second in three Grade 1 races, including the Clement Hirsch Stakes for fillies and mares at Del Mar on Aug. 1.

-additional reporting by Marty McGee.