BUSHER INVITATIONAL S., $242,500, Aqueduct, 3-5, 3yo, f, 1m, 1:39.65, ft.
1–VENTI VALENTINE, 118, f, 3, by Firing Line
1st Dam: Glory Gold, by Medaglia d'Oro
2nd Dam: Gayla, by Lord Gaylord
3rd Dam: La Chela (Arg), by Utopico (Arg)
O-NY Final Furlong Racing Stable & Parkland Thoroughbreds;
B-Final Furlong Racing Stable & Maspeth Stable (NY); T-Jorge
Abreu; J-Manuel Franco. $137,500. Lifetime Record:
4-3-1-0, $366,250. *1/2 to Espresso Shot (Mission Impazible),
MSW, $516,625.
2–Shotgun Hottie, 120, f, 3, Gun Runner–Re Entry, by Malibu
Moon. ($45,000 2yo '21 OBSAPR). O-Omar Aldabbagh & Jeff
Ganje; B-Vincent Colbert (KY); T-William E. Morey. $50,000.
3–Magic Circle, 120, f, 3, Kantharos–Magic Humor, by Distorted
Humor. ($50,000 Ylg '20 KEEJAN; $110,000 2yo '21 OBSAPR).
O-J.W. Singer LLC; B-Manitou Farm, LLC (KY); T-Rudy R.
Rodriguez. $30,000.
Margins: 7, 3/4, 3 3/4. Odds: 5.30, 22.90, 4.80.
Also Ran: Radio Days, Sterling Silver. Scratched: Morning Matcha.
Venti Valentine stormed to an authoritative victory in the Busher S. at Aqueduct Saturday. The chestnut filly, sent off at 5-1, tracked the pace early, but was shuffled back in traffic down the backstretch. She ranged up three wide into the final bend and collared pacesetting Magic Circle in upper stretch before storming clear.
“I knew the pace wasn't going to be that fast,” said winning rider Manny Franco. “So I wanted to come out running. I saw Dylan [Davis aboard Radio Days] went with Kendrick [Carmouche aboard Magic Circle] and I was able to go around them, and after that I was comfortable where I was. I was in the middle in the stretch, so I was worried about somebody coming from the outside, but I didn't see anyone. She's a nice filly. She's improving every time she runs.”
Venti Valentine opened her career with a narrow victory over state-bred foes at Belmont last September and added a victory in the Oct. 30 Maid of the Mist S. before suffering the first loss of her career when a neck short of Nest (Curlin) when second in the Dec. 4 GII Demoiselle S.
“I was a little concerned about her because we missed two breezes with her,” admitted winning trainer Jorge Abreu. “She got sick on me after we breezed her the first time. She spiked a temperate of 102 and I didn't breeze her. She really came into the race with four breezes.
Abreu continued, “I knew this filly was going to run a good race. I'm not going to lie, I didn't know she was going to win that easy. She ran a really good race. She's been a classy horse since Day One. She's been showing that she has a lot of determination and a lot of talent. She showed it today.”
Venti Valentine is one of two stakes winners for Firing Line, who has also been represented by Bowman's Mill S. winner and GII Saratoga Special third-place finisher Nakatomi.
Glory Gold, who was purchased by Final Furlong Racing for $13,000 while carrying the winner at the 2018 Keeneland Noveber sale, produced a filly by Omaha Beach last year. The filly sold for $220,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton Fall Mixed Sale. The mare was bred back to Authentic. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
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