Venti Valentine headed to Florida but will return for Busher

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Venti Valentine, like many of the stakes performers from last Saturday’s Aqueduct card, will head to Florida in the coming days, but her connections are already plotting the New York-bred filly’s next race to be in New York.

Venti Valentine, second to Nest in the Grade 2 Demoiselle, will be pointed to the $250,000 Busher Stakes on March 5 at Aqueduct, trainer Jorge Abreu said. The Busher, a one-turn mile, does offer its winner 50 points toward the Kentucky Oaks on May 6 at Churchill Downs.

In 2019, Abreu won the Busher with Espresso Shot, a half-sister to Venti Valentine. Both horses share common ownership in NY Final Furlong Racing and Parkland Thoroughbreds.

Venti Valentine was only beaten a neck by Nest and jockey John Velazquez told Abreu that Venti Valentine lost momentum when Magic Circle, the pacesetting horse who was on her inside, came out in front of her in deep stretch.

“If [Magic Circle] didn’t come over, we probably would have been closer and won the race,” Abreu said. “She came right back at her.”

Prior to the Demoiselle, Venti Valentine won her first two starts, both against New York-breds, including the Maid of the Mist, a one-turn mile race at Belmont Park.

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On Sunday, Abreu and Parkland Thoroughbreds won a New York-bred maiden race with the 2-year-old colt Agility. A son of Practical Joke, Aigility earned a 71 Beyer Speed Figure and will be pointed to the $100,000 Rego Park Stakes for New York-bred 3-year-olds on Jan. 9.

Aqueduct fall leaders

Big Saturday success for Todd Pletcher and Irad Ortiz Jr. carried them to the top of the standings for the Aqueduct fall meeting.

Pletcher won three graded stakes – including the Grade 1 Cigar Mile – and finished the meet with 13 wins, two more than Chad Brown and Christophe Clement.

Irad Ortiz Jr. won four races on Saturday – including the Grade 2 Remsen and Grade 2 Demoiselle for Pletcher and the Grade 3 Go for Wand for Brad Cox – to finish the meet with 21 wins, four more than Luis Saez and Jose Lezcano.

Seth Klarman’s Klaravich Stables won five races at the 15-day meet, one more than Michael Dubb and Mike Repole.