The Mike Venezia Memorial

The Mike Venezia Memorial will be run over six furlongs on the dirt.  A total of  twenty 2y-o fillies will line up for this $750,000 event.  Many thanks go to Trotter1 for sponsoring this race. Mike Venezia was a jockey, born in Brooklyn in 1945.  He would have been named Frederick, but the name was changed to Michael in honour of an uncle who died in WWII shortly before his birth.  He rode a total of 2,313 winners during a career spanning 25 years.  Between 1975 and 1981 he was president of the Jockeys’ Guild.  He died in 1988 in an accident during a race.  Since 1989 an award in his name has been given to a rider who shows extraordinary sportsmanship and citizenship.  (Source:  Wikipedia) 1          UNBURY THE HATCHET (KY)      2 b f   DISCREETLY MINE x AFFIRMED x NOT FOR LOVE dontbetonme16                    K Ledwith                  75784            26/1 Racing HQ Although the history behind this horse’s name has not been disclosed to us, there must be some kind of broken truce here.  No doubt her trainer will be hoping she puts up her best fighting finish on behalf of Racing HQ.  A winner second time out, in a Maiden Special Weights race for locally-bred fillies over five and a half furlongs, she has run respectably in her three races since, the longest distance she has been beaten being just one and three-quarter lengths, and that in a Stakes race over today’s distance, in which she achieved her best speed figure to date of 71.

2          STREET CIRCLE (KY)          2 b f  SECRET CIRCLE x STREET CRY x ENCOSTA DE LAGO (AUS) 16away                      N Ambrose                 131                 22/1 Bred by 3away BNRC This representative of the British and Nordic Racing Club is having only her fourth start here.  Her previous three races have all been in West Virginia, so it will be interesting to see how she takes to the change of venue.  Last time out she gained the second win of her career, recording her best speed figure to date of 80 in an Allowance race for non-winners of two over seven furlongs.  Back to six furlongs here, she will probably do best if lying close to the pace. 3          PYE’S HOLY MISSION (NY)             2 ro f  MISSION IMPAZIBLE x STREET CRY x STORM CAT lordpye3                    J Dawg                                    1312               13/1 EWC   East-West Racing’s representative, trained by the inimitable Lordpye, is by a relatively unknown sire, a grey son of Unbridled’s Song who, fittingly, is available for a song of just 136 credits a the time of writing.  This filly is out of a Grade One winning mare and has shown plenty of promise in her four races to date, currently ranked tenth in this division.  The winner of two from four, she finished second, beaten just a head, in her latest race, a Grade Two Race over six and a half furlongs, recording a speed figure of 84.  Cutting back half a furlong here, her front-running style may keep every post a winning one.

nycracing                   G Arnold                     1521               25/1 Bred by holdingnyc Empire State Racing   Another Kentucky-bred, this filly won at the first time of asking in a Maiden Special Weights race over today’s distance.  In fact all her races have been over this distance, the latest providing the second win of her career in the ESR Equinics Filly Dirt Prep, the residency’s trial for this race.  In that, she recorded her best speed figure thus far of 78, meaning that she will need to make significant improvement to have a chance here.   5 NINFA DEL CIELO (KY)       2 b f    PIONEEROF THE NILE x SADLER’S WELLS x MR. PROSPECTOR castillo                        J Wilson                      16                   9/1 Bred by magallanes Sim Hispano Out of a Grade One winning mare, this filly is having just her third race now.  After winning on her debut, a Maiden Special Weights race over today’s distance with an excellent speed figure of 82, she disappointed when tried over half a furlong further, finishing five lengths behind in sixth place out of seven with a speed figure of only 64 in an Allowance race for non-winners of two.  Now that she is back to six furlongs, it remains to be seen whether her first race was a fluke or her second race was a bounce. 6          CHEROKEE COUNTESS (KY)          2 b f    MEDAL COUNT x CHEROKEE RUN x SECRETARIAT crandyv                      W Von Wedel             112                 25/1 NWRC   The representative of the North West Racing Circuit, this filly has made a promising start to her career and is currently ranked 51 in this division.  Her first two races were against the colts over five and six furlongs respectively.  Last time out, she gained her best speed figure to date of 79 to win a Stakes race for fillies over six and a half furlongs.  Back in distance today, she has a bit to find against some of these rivals.

7          LUCKY NEKO            (KY)   2 b f    LOOKIN AT LUCKY x NEKO BAY x TALE OF THE CAT ehteam1                     K Ebner                      1                      26/1 Ehteam   The winner of her only race to date, this filly is something of an enigma here.  It is hard to say what that race represents, as although she beat ten rivals she recorded a speed figure of only 78.  However, the one and a quarter length distance between herself and the second horse suggests that she is capable of improvement.  Her sire, a son of Smart Strike, is becoming a popular choice. 8          AMBA PITCH            (MEX)            2 b f    BIG APPLE x ORATORIO (IRE) x HENNESSY ryz2                            M Scott                       11       27/1 MIDAS This Mexican-bred filly has run both her races in that country and her owners are hoping she will not have to jump a wall to compete internationally in future.  After a modest win in a Maiden Claiming race over five and a half furlongs with a speed figure of just 69, she followed up with a win in a Starter Allowance over six and a half, putting up a very respectable speed figure of 83.  Although these races seem lowly fare, they may be somewhat below her true ability and she could be anything.  Her sire is available at the bargain price of 10 bps. 9          COUPON COLLECTOR (AUS)          2 gr f   SUPER SAVER x STORM CAT x SEEKING THE GOLD xpansion8                  J White                       12       10/1 Bred by lasthope Vermont Out of a Grade One winning mare, this filly has run well in her races thus far.  She won her Maiden Special Weights race at the first time of asking over five furlongs, then stepped up to Stakes level, in which she finished second, beaten just a quarter of a length.  She improved from a speed figure of 72 to one of 83, suggesting that she is capable of better still. 10       INTIMATE STRANGER (KY)          2 b f    PIONEEROF THE NILE x AWESOME AGAIN x STORM CAT eminc4                       O A Haack                   12       11/1 Bred by jetman Blazing Saddles This filly had an unusual start to her career, being thrown straight into a Stakes race, which she won with a speed figure of 72.  In her only other race to date, she finished second, beaten a length, in an Allowance race for non-winners of two, in which she recorded a speed figure of 78.  Both her races were over today’s distance and she is capable of further improvement, although it will have to be significant if she is to figure here. 11       SHERPA IMPACT RAY (JPN)          2 b f    DEEP IMPACT (JPN) x NUREYEV x FORTY NINER ace6                            N Stryzinski                11       9/1 Bred by browns2 EURO   Having won her Maiden Special Weights race over the minimum distance on her debut, this filly followed up with a win in a Stakes race against the colts over six and a half furlongs, in which she recorded a speed figure of 78, which was a significant improvement on her debut.  This is a very well-bred filly with lots of potential. 12       PLAYER PROFILE (KY)                   2 b f    SPEIGHTSTOWN x A.P. INDY x KINGMAMBO baileyfarm                 D Evans                      111     10/1 Queensland This filly has run all her races in Kentucky until now.  She has won all three of them, gradually stepping up from Maiden through restricted Allowance races.  She achieved her best speed figure on her second start, although her figures have been fairly consistent.  This is a big step up in class for her, but she may have the ability to take it in her stride. 13       TIZ MY MAGIC SHAFT (KY)           2 gr f   TIZWAY x ZENSATIONAL x MINESHAFT dunnstar                    A Craig                        1211   27/1 Bred by gonz URC   This grey filly represents the Universal Racing Club.  She made her debut in March, winning a Maiden Special Weights race over today’s distance on sloppy dirt.  Her next two races were in Stakes company, finishing second over five furlongs, beaten three quarters of a length, and first over six furlongs with a speed figure of 78.  Last time out she only needed to put up a speed figure of 55 to win an easy race and she is capable of much better. 14       THE ENTHUSIAST (KY)                  2 b f    SPEIGHTSTOWN x HARD SPUN x GHOSTZAPPER sal326                                    F Gossett                     121     11/1 All-Stars Racing Having won her debut in Maiden Special Weights company over five furlongs on good dirt, this filly then finished second in an Allowance race over today’s distance.  Rather than being put off by this defeat, her trainer then stepped her up in class to the Grade Two Lean Machine Stakes over six and a half furlongs, in which she gained a head victory over today’s rival Pye’s Holy Mission.  It will be interesting to see which one finishes ahead in this race. 15       BERNARDI ME (KY)                                    2 b f    BERNARDINI x AWESOME AGAIN x BROAD BRUSH bettylou02                 A Rolling                     1          12/1 Comedy Central   We shall miss Comedy Central.  Running a horse with only one previous race and a speed figure of 73 in a Grade One international event would seem like a joke, even though it was over the same distance as today’s race.  However, that race was a win and she is certainly open to improvement.  Wishing her the very best on her last run for the residency. 16       DARK MINE WAR (KY)       2 br f  DANZA x INDIAN CHARLIE x MINESHAFT wyndaway22             La Ferguson               33332                        33/1 bamafarms Megalopolis The outsider of the party, this filly is yet to win a race.  However, she has performed consistently in her five races to date and gained a respectable speed figure of 75 when second last time out.  That was over seven furlongs and her form suggests that she will like a greater distance of ground.  She is by a bargain sire out of a mare whose other foals were Claimers, so she has done very well to get a start here.   17       CHRISPY DIVINE (KY)         2 br f  GIANT’S CAUSEWAY x MACHIAVELLIAN x DEPUTY MINISTER jbcri10                        A Jolly                         11                   14/1 jbcri9999 Elite   Representing the Elite Racing Club, this filly has won both her starts to date.  These were both races for locally-bred fillies, a Maiden Special Weights over five and a half furlongs and an Allowance over six furlongs for non-winners of two.  In her latest race she put up a speed figure of 79.  She will need to improve on that to have a chance here, but she looks to be a progressive sort and is capable of running a good race here. 18       MANDATED RAID (KY)       2 b f    STRONG MANDATE x GONE WEST x NORTHERN DANCER padrebri15                W Kewmwa               1114               16/1 G R Simsters By a sire who only costs 19 credits or bps at the time of writing, this filly is out of a Stakes-placed mare with good bloodlines.  Having progressed from a Maiden win on her debut through Allowance races, last time out she was tried in a Grade Two race over six and a half furlongs, in which she finished fourth behind Liam’s Causeway, one of today’s rivals, beaten two and three quarter lengths.  In that, she equaled her best speed figure of 77 and must improve significantly to have a chance in this. 19       DEATH MENTALITY (KY)  2 ro f   LIAM’S MAP x BERNARDINI x DAMASCUS checkmate1               L Radzinski                 11                   12/1 DelPenn   The winner of both her races to date, the last time out recording a speed figure of 79 in a Stakes race over six and a half furlongs.  Out of a Grade Two winning mare, this filly is open to improvement and whatever she does here she is sure to win some good races. 20       LIAM’S CAUSEWAY (KY)    2 ro f   LIAM’S MAP x GIANT’S CAUSEWAY x SEATTLE SLEW testbarn10                 T Ace                           31111                        13/1 samhouston Minnesota Testbarn Residency   Since winning her Maiden Special Weights race at the second time of asking, this filly has progressed rapidly, winning an Allowance race for non-winners of two then taking two Grade Two races.  She has not yet run over today’s distance, but having recorded a speed figure of 82 when winning over distances half a furlong either side of this, she should be able to run a similar speed figure this time. Now to the tricky bit.  Two-year-olds have not yet reached their potential and many of them are lightly raced; therefore they are not easy betting material (and I would never bet on a race for two-year-olds IRL).  But since it is the Equinics, selections must be made, so here goes. 1          Pye’s Holy Mission 2          The Enthusiast 3          Coupon Collector 4          Liam’s Causeway Good luck to all the competitors.  May the best horse win and may the others run the race of their lives!