Ready To Venture Wins Seaway To Cap Lael Stables’ Graded Stakes Double At Woodbine
Lael Stables' homebred Ready To Venture (GB) looked right at home in winning the $150,000 Seaway Stakes (G3) on Sunday at Woodbine.
It was a familiar result for the 5-year-old daughter of Kingman out of Wonderstruck, by Sea The Stars, who is now two-for-two at the Toronto oval after a stellar showing in the seven-furlong Tapeta race for fillies and mares. Last May, Ready To Venture romped to a 5¾-length score in a 6 ½-furlong race over the Tapeta.
Hai Bobbi, supplemented to the Seaway, emerged with the lead and was shadowed by Vantarsi, 3-1 choice Ticker Tape Home, and Il Malocchio through an opening panel in :23.11. Rafael Hernandez, aboard the Michael Stidham-trained Ready To Venture, settled the bay mare into fifth along the rail.
A head in front through a half in :45.48, Hai Bobbi remained under pressure by Vantarsi, while Ready To Venture moved into fourth position as the field of nine picked up the pace heading into the turn for home.
Hernandez had Ready To Venture rolling in early stretch and soon struck front but was then tasked with fending off Millie Girl, who was coming with her best run along the rail. On top by a head in early stretch, Ready To Venture continued on and reached the wire a 1¼-length winner in her graded stakes debut.
Millie Girl was second, followed by Il Malocchio and Ticker Tape Home.
Vantarsi, Hazelbrook, Talk to Ya Later, Hai Bobbi, and Purrfect rounded out the order of finish.
The final time was 1:21.60.
It was another satisfying result for Lael Stables, who one day earlier watched as She Feels Pretty won the Johnnie Walker Natalma Stakes (G1) for 2-year-old fillies at Woodbine and earned a fees-paid berth into the $1-million Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1), to be run at Santa Anita on November 3.
“It's not a great place to be,” said Hernandez, of having the rail post. “But when everything goes good, we ended up in the winner's circle. It doesn't matter how you start, it matters how you finish. At the three-eighths, I said, 'Man, I have horse.' I know my horse was running down the lane and I said whoever is coming is going to have to have run fast to get us.”
It was the sixth win, along with four seconds and three thirds, from 20 starts for Ready To Venture, whose first eight starts came in England, before starting the North American chapter of her career in March 2022 with a third at Fair Grounds. She broke her maiden in her second start, on September 16, 2020, at Great Yarmouth.
Ready To Venture paid $16.30 for the Seaway win.
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