Warren’s Veneda may challenge males in Charles Town Classic

ARCADIA, Calif. – With the major goal of the meet safely tucked away, trainer Craig Lewis still was not sure how high to aim next with Warren’s Veneda, who scored a resounding victory last Saturday in the Grade 1 Santa Margarita Stakes, the championship race of the Santa Anita season for older females.

Lewis said it was “possible we’d go to West Virginia to run against colts in the Charles Town Classic,” but he wasn’t close to committing to that $1.5 million race on April 18.

Lewis said he expected Warren’s Veneda to run well in the Santa Margarita, but her dominating performance “exceeded my expectations.”

How long Warren’s Veneda wears the tiara as the queen of the West likely depends on how long it takes the two-time champion Beholder to get back to the races. Beholder worked six furlongs in 1:14 last Friday, after which trainer Richard Mandella said she was getting close to a race.

“I’m very happy with how she’s doing,” Mandella said.