Venetian Harbor trying to stretch her speed in Las Virgenes

ARCADIA, Calif. – One of the fastest 2-year-old sprint fillies last year will try to become one of the top 3-year-old distance fillies this year, beginning Saturday at Santa Anita.

Venetian Harbor, whose 94 Beyer ranked second by a juvenile filly in 2019, stretches to a two-turn mile Saturday. If she reproduces her high-figure maiden sprint win – she won under a hold and galloped out super – the Grade 2 Las Virgenes Stakes is a formality.

Trainer Richard Baltas is confident Venetian Harbor will stay the trip, based on works, looks, and pedigree.

“She’s had good breezes and good gallop-outs,” Baltas said. “She’s well balanced, and just looks like a quality animal. And with Street Cry on the bottom, her pedigree says she can route.”

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Based on her maiden win by more than 10 lengths, Venetian Harbor is the 2-5 favorite by linemaker Jon White, facing four rivals in a stakes race won by odds-on favorites the past four years (Songbird, Unique Bella, Dream Tree, Bellafina).

Upset candidates Saturday include California-bred stakes winner Cholula Lips, back on dirt after a misfire on turf; Gingham, recent winner of a low-rated allowance; stakes-placed sprinter Stellar Sound; and maiden-claiming turf winner Go Big Blue Nation.

None is as fast as Venetian Harbor, whose enters with a speed figure advantage of more than 20 points. The $200,000 Las Virgenes is a race Venetian Harbor should win.

“It’s a nice springboard, there are no monsters in there,” Baltas said.

None except Venetian Harbor, though her pedigree is uncertain for a route. Sired by Munnings, Venetian Harbor was produced by a sprint dam whose 29 starts all were at one turn. The dam’s first runner is a maiden that has not raced beyond six furlongs.

Baltas said Venetian Harbor has been galloping out well after her works, and he is confident one mile is within reach. It will be Flavien Prat’s responsibility to ration the filly’s speed.

An upset candidate is Cholula Lips, who returns to preferred footing after finishing ninth on turf in the California Cup Oaks. Trainer Mike Harrington chose the California Cup Oaks over the California Cup Derby on dirt for Cholula Lips.

“She obviously did not like the grass,” trainer Mike Harrington said. “In retrospect, the dirt race would have been a better spot for her.”

It was a no-win situation for Cholula Lips on California Cup Day – either run on dirt against boys, or on turf against girls. Cholula Lips previously won the Soviet Problem Stakes at a mile on dirt, and Harrington expects a similar effort Saturday.

“She’s happy and healthy,” Harrington said. “She can go to the lead, or she can lay off the pace.”

Abel Cedillo rides Cholula Lips.

Bob Baffert trains Stellar Sound, who stretches out for the first time with speed to keep Venetian Harbor honest. Baffert also trains off-the-pace allowance winner Gingham.