Venti Valentine scores mild upset in Johnstone Mile

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. — Nobody was more anxious when the power went out midway through Wednesday’s program at Saratoga than trainer Jorge Abreu, who had two very important horses to run on the second half of the card including Venti Valentine in the afternoon’s main event, the $125,000 Johnstone Mile Handicap.

Luckily for Abreu, the lights came back on in time for him to win the sixth race in super impressive fashion with 2-year-old first time starter Jody’s Pride and the Johnstone Mile with Venti Valentine, who rallied from well off the pace to register a half-length victory over Timeless Journey in the one mile test for New York-bred fillies and mares.

Venti Valentine was making just her third start of the season and first since finishing third against open allowance company six weeks earlier at Belmont Park. She was rated the 124 pound high-weight by the racing office having been a Grade 3 winner last season, although was somewhat over-looked in the wagering going postward the third choice in the wagering at odds of 5-1 behind even money favorite Betsy Blue and 9-5 Sunset Louise.

With Manny Franco aboard, Venti Valentine ducked out and briefly bumped with Sunset Louise leaving the gate. She settled near the rear of the compact lineup while saving ground in the run down the backstretch, came under vigorous handling while starting to angle out and launch her bid on the final turn then remained resolute through the final furlong, ultimately wearing down Timeless Journey nearing the wire.

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Timeless Journey raced in perfect stalking position from the outset, joined the leaders three wide a quarter-mile from the finish, stuck her head in front in early stretch before succumbing grudgingly to the winner in the final sixteenth.

Betsy Blue raced at the rear of the field but while never far back for six furlongs, came widest off the final turn, loomed boldly while remaining on her left lead through midstretch before flattening out a bit at the end, finishing another half-length behind Timeless Journey. Know It All was fourth with Sunset Louise tiring badly after contesting the early pace to finish fifth and last.

Venti Valentine, a 4-year-old daughter of Firing Line, won for the fifth time in 13 starts and registered her first victory since taking the Bay Ridge Stakes for statebreds at Aqueduct in her 2022 finale on December 17. She completed the distance over a fast track in 1:38.98 seconds and paid $12.40.

“I was a little upset when the power went out because I liked both horses and I was afraid they were going to cancel racing today,” said Abreu, who also admitted to being a bit concerned by the fact that Venti Valentine had drawn the rail in the main event.

“She doesn’t like to be inside horses, but I told Manny to play the break, see if he could somehow get her outside horses, andshe’ll run for you. He did, and she did. At the quarter pole when she picked up momentum, I was feeling pretty confident there, because there was nobody really coming from behind.”

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