Warren's Veneda looks strong ahead of Santa Margarita

ARCADIA, Calif. - With racing luck, Warren’s Veneda would be unbeaten in her last four starts, trainer Craig Lewis argues. Instead, Warren’s Veneda is unbeaten in two starts this year and expected to be favored in the $400,000 Santa Margarita Stakes for fillies and mares at 1 1/8 miles March 14.

Warren’s Veneda won the most prestigious race of her career in Saturday’s Grade 2 Santa Maria Stakes, a $200,750 race at 1 1/16 miles. Ridden by Tyler Baze, Warren’s Veneda closed from seventh in a field of eight through the final three furlongs before drawing off to win by 2 3/4 lengths.

“She’s got a tremendous turn of foot for three-eighths of a mile that makes her dangerous,” Lewis said.

Owned by breeder Ben Warren, Warren’s Veneda, a California-bred by the Unbridled stallion Affirmative, has won 7 of 21 starts and earned $587,612. She won the minor Paseana Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on a wet-fast track Jan. 11 for her first career stakes win against open company.

Last fall, Warren’s Veneda was third after a wide trip in the Betty Grable Stakes for California-bred sprinters at Del Mar in November.

“In the last eighth of a mile, she was eating up horses, and she ran out of ground,” Lewis said.

In the Grade 2 Bayakoa Stakes for fillies and mares at Los Alamitos in December, she raced in traffic for the first half of the race at 1 1/16 miles and led in the stretch before losing by a head to Tiz Midnight.

“I think those are two races she could have won,” Lewis said. “With a little luck, she could have won four in a row. She got over the little problems she’s had and has really matured.”