Venetta needs stalking trip to complete difficult double
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SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – In the dozen years the Fleet Indian Stakes at Saratoga has been positioned on the calendar about a month after the New York Oaks at Finger Lakes, nine winners of the latter have failed to come back to win the former.
Venetta, the 2 3/4-length winner of the New York Oaks on July 13, will likely be favored to end that skid when she faces seven rivals in Friday’s $200,000 Fleet Indian for New York-bred 3-year-old fillies.
At 1 1/8 miles, the Fleet Indian is a stamina test for these horses. Only Victory Hall, who was eased in the Grade 3 Gazelle at Aqueduct in April, has attempted nine furlongs.
Venetta, a daughter of Yaupon, has won three straight races, capped by the New York Oaks at 1 1/16 miles. Her trainer, Danny Gargan, believes Venetta can get the distance as long as she has someone to follow. In the New York Oaks, Venetta sat wide and was off the pace before Kendrick Carmouche advanced her three wide entering the far turn.
“She wants a target,” Gargan said. “The other day they went slow, but she sat back there fine. Kendrick moved early because they were going slow and just swooped the field on the turn. He said when she got in front she started wandering around again. She likes a target, and there’s a ton of speed in this race.”
Trainer Tom Morley said Victory Hall was in over her head in the Gazelle – won by subsequent Kentucky Oaks winner Always a Runner – and the race is not a fair barometer of Victory Hall’s ability to get 1 1/8 miles. Morley felt she was making some headway against Venetta in the stretch of the New York Oaks but ultimately was no match that day.
Victory Hall was conceding six pounds to Venetta in the New York Oaks. Friday, they both carry co-high weight of 124 pounds, something Morley believes could be significant.
“I come from the world of handicaps, I think that’s a huge swing in our favor,” said Morley, a native of England. “Whether there are other fillies in there that could potentially step up, there’s a lot of questions about who wants to go the mile and an eighth.”
Victory Hall, a daughter of Independence Hall, is a four-time winner.
“If they all had a heart as big as hers, we would have won a lot more races over the years,” Morley said. “She’s a very honest filly, tries hard.”
New York Special will attempt to transfer her turf form to dirt for trainer Mark Casse. New York Special, second in her one start on dirt before going 1 for 2 on turf, is a half-sister to Casa Creed, who won his maiden on dirt at Saratoga before becoming a multiple Grade 1 winner on turf.
“She is by Curlin, she trains well over it,” Casse said. “I thought her first race wasn’t bad and she is going to like the distance.”
Linda Rice has won the Fleet Indian twice, including in 2020 with Newly Minted, who was stretching out from sprint races. Hot Currency, coming off an allowance win at 6 1/2 furlongs, will try 1 1/8 miles for the first time.
Rice said Thursday she is on the fence whether to run Hot Currency in the Fleet Indian. She does plan to wheel back Lady Rose, who won a one-mile allowance six days ago.
“She did get the mile,” Rice said. “She’s never been two turns. I think she’ll handle it.”
Iron Orchard won her first three starts, including the Grade 1 Frizette as a 2-year-old. She is winless in two starts this year, including a fourth in the seven-furlong Johnstone Stakes versus New York-breds here Aug. 5.
Power of Women and Unlock the Value are both coming out of wins going one mile here earlier in the meet.
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