“He came back in good order. We're very much enjoying the fact that he won the Gotham yesterday. It was a very strong performance and we're happy with the way he looks this morning,” trainer Christophe Clement said Sunday. “We will probably ship him to Florida this week. He's done very well in Florida and the weather is more under control. He's been here for the last three months and training well here, so no need to change too much at the moment.”

A debut winner at Saratoga last August, Deterministic was making just his second lifetime start in the Gotham.

“No decision whatsoever made for the next start,” Clement said. “At the moment, the only worry is the well-being of the horse and we'll go from there. We'll get him to a work and the work will tell us what to do with him.”

Clement, who won the 2014 GI Belmont S. with Tonalist (Tapit), said he would only enjoy a first GI Kentucky Derby starter, but only if his charge had a decent shot at victory on the First Saturday in May.

“To run, no–to win, yes,” said Clement, with a laugh. “Running is not very exciting, but winning is. If he was to go that route, that would be very exciting. At the moment, we need to evaluate a next start and I believe, most probably, he would need to run before the Derby.”

Clement also saddled Capital Idea (Classic Empire) in the Gotham. The bay colt, a maiden winner at Aqueduct in January, had a wide trip in his stakes debut while finishing fifth.

“I thought he ran OK. He had a very bad post and he was carried wide all the way, but he actually tried and he finished,” Clement said. “We'd love to go a mile and an eighth and two turns with him next time, but where, I don't know. I think the longer the better. He came back in good order. He trained in New York all winter, so I left him in New York.”

Clement agreed the Apr. 6 GII Wood Memorial might be an option for Capital Idea, as well as for stablemate Pandagate (Arrogate), who captured the Gander S. at Aqueduct Feb. 25. Other options for Pandagate include the Apr. 20 Federico Tesio S. at Laurel Park or the Mar. 30 G2 2 UAE Derby at Meydan Racecourse.

“He came back last week and we'll get to a work at the end of this week. We're very happy with him. He's another one that we'll leave eligible for everything,” Clement said of Pandagate.

Also exiting a stakes win at Aqueduct Saturday in fine shape was Jody's Pride (American Pharoah), who earned 50 qualifying points to the GI Kentucky Oaks with her victory in the Busher S.

“She came back great, everything is great,” said trainer Jorge Abreu. “It's very exciting for us. Going to the Breeders' Cup was such a fun ride for us and she showed up over there. To see the performance she put in on that day, we were like, 'Wow,' so we gave her 30 days [off], and then she grew up and got bigger and stronger. Yesterday, she showed it.”

Jody's Pride was second, beaten just a neck by Just F Y I (Justify), in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies last November. She is likely to remain in New York and make her next start in the Apr. 6 GIII Gazelle S., according to Abreu.

“I don't want to keep moving her around,” said Abreu. “She's already run four races at three different tracks and four different distances. She likes Aqueduct, too.”

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A dirt horse by accident after her maiden turf dash debut Aug. 9 at Saratoga was brought off the grass and she dominated by 10 1/2 lengths, it was a similar story for the Matron S. in her second start Oct. 8 when that six-panel sprint also came off the turf and again sending Jody's Pride to the winner's enclosure. Intentionally entered in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies going long on the main track at Santa Anita Park, she continued her improvement to come a neck short of catching champion MGISW Just F Y I (Justify) at 17-1 odds.

Returning at a one-turn mile, and greeting a rainy New York day, the 4-5 favorite stalked Carmelina as she rolled through :23.62 and :46.81 early splits. Making a bid entering the bend, Jody's Pride had come on even terms with that leader from the six path as they swung into the upper stretch. The fillies locked horns to the final sixteenth before the eventual winner finally managed to move clear by 2 1/4 lengths. Gin Gin (Hightail) came on from the back to close the trifecta. With the score here, Jody's Pride secured 50 Kentucky Oaks points in addition to the 15 she earned from the runner-up effort at the Breeders' Cup.

JODY'S PRIDE fought with Carmelina down the lane and came away with 50 Points to the KY Oaks with her win in the Busher Stakes at Aqueduct! The American Pharoah (@coolmoreamerica) filly was trained by Jorge Abreu and ridden by Jose Lezcano!

Late Pick 3: https://t.co/mGeXnEqN9C pic.twitter.com/GSWOOawXK3

— TVG (@TVG) March 2, 2024

“We gave her 30 days [after the Breeders' Cup] and then we brought her back to Palm Meadows; she was doing everything great,” said trainer Jorge Abreu. “She was working pretty good and we had her pointed for the Davonna Dale, and at the last minute, [co-owner] Mr. Weston decided to run her over here. So I said, 'OK, let's go.'”

When asked whether his stable star might next be seen in the GIII Gazelle S., a 100-point qualifier to the Kentucky Oaks Apr. 6, Abreu said, “I'm going to see how she comes out of it and probably [come back] here in the Gazelle, and then the Kentucky Oaks. She ran two turns already and my concern was if she was going to perform as well as she did as a 2-year-old. She did, and I think she wants to go longer than that even.”

Co-owner Steve Weston of Parkland Thoroughbreds, too, is looking ahead to Kentucky. “We made it [to the Kentucky Oaks] once before with Venti Valentine and we actually won this race for the third time today. We won it twice with Final Furlong, with Venti Valentine and Espesso Shot. I'm not saying we have the best horse for the Oaks of the 14, but at least we have a chance.”

The second foal for Jody's Song, a half-sister to MSW & GISP Make Mischief (Into Mischief), Jody's Pride is the most accomplished for her dam. She has a 2-year-old full-brother Moreperfectunion as well as a yearling full-brother already named Jody's Legacy. The mare is due to Epicenter for 2024. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

BUSHER S., $200,000, Aqueduct, 3-2, 3yo, f, 1m, 1:38.49, sy.
1–JODY'S PRIDE, 120, f, 3, by American Pharoah
           1st Dam: Jody's Song, by Scat Daddy
           2nd Dam: Speightful Lady, by Speightstown
           3rd Dam: England's Rose, by Nureyev
O-Parkland Thoroughbreds and Sportsmen Stable; B-Mr. Steve Weston (KY); T-Jorge R. Abreu; J-Jose Lezcano. $110,000. Lifetime Record: GISP, 4-3-1-0, $590,250.
2–Carmelina, 120, f, 3, Maximus Mischief–Complete St., by St Averil. ($44,000 Wlg '21 FTIDEC). O-Cash is King LLC and LC Racing LLC; B-Lillith E. Boucher (PA); T-Robert E. Reid, Jr.. $40,000.
3–Gin Gin, 120, f, 3, Hightail–Before You Know It, by Hard Spun. O/B-Calumet Farm (KY); T-Brad H. Cox. $24,000.
Margins: 2 1/4, 2HF, 3/4. Odds: 0.95, 8.80, 3.20.
Also Ran: Aoife's Magic, Regulatory Risk, Sicilian Princess, Princess Mayfair.

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Everyone spoke highly of the resulting filly, whom he named Jody's Pride, throughout her early years, but when it came time for the dark bay to make her debut last August at Saratoga, the race got rained off the turf. Trainer Jorge Abreu opted to keep the filly entered anyways and to her connections' pleasant surprise, she sprinted away to win by over 10 lengths.

Again in her next start in the Matron S., the race was switched to the main track. Again, Jody's Pride won going away.

“So then we tried the grass for a third time in the Breeders' Cup,” recalled Weston. “But they said they didn't have room for us. So we said, 'Okay, we'll try the dirt. We don't know how she'll do. She's never gone two turns, but we'll see.'”

Sent off at 18-1 odds in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, Jody's Pride and jockey Flavien Prat trailed heavy favorite Tamara (Bolt d'Oro) along the rail before swinging out to close in on winner Just FYI (Justify) in the final strides and finish second by a neck.

A newborn Jody's Pride with dam Jody's Song | courtesy Ashford Stud

At that point it was a pretty easy decision that Jody's Pride would be sticking to dirt, at least for the time being, as she points toward the GI Kentucky Oaks.

“Believe me, I'm not complaining,” Weston said with a laugh. “It's very hard to be able to get a good dirt horse that can go two turns. I'm blessed right now to have one.”

Steve and Debbie Weston's Parkland Thoroughbreds has excelled at the top level of the sport in recent years by partnering up on the likes of Porta Fortuna (Ire) (Caravaggio), who won the G3 Albany S. at Ascot last year, 2023 GII Appalachian S. victress Papilio (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}), and other graded stakes winners like Royal Charlotte (Cairo Prince) and Horologist (Gemologist). But Jody's Pride stands out as a rare homebred for their stable and she's the one that Weston said is “by far” the best he's ever bred.

Weston, who is based in Parkland, Florida but spends his summers in Saratoga, purchased the filly's dam as a yearling for $250,000 at the 2016 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale. The daughter of Scat Daddy was bred by Avanti Stable, whose owners Mario and Dawn Martinez lived just a few doors down from the Westons on Fifth Avenue. Named after Weston's sister who had recently passed away, Jody's Song showed talent early on and won on debut by three lengths, but injuries cut her career short.

Jody's Pride was only the mare's second foal, but sadly Jody's Song passed away from colic a week before Jody's Pride made her debut last year.

“It was a terrible loss,” Weston said. “She had two surgeries and she lived for about a month, but we just couldn't save her.”

Jody's Song produced three other foals including a 4-year-old daughter of Uncle Mo who broke her maiden last summer at Belmont and retired to Weston's broodmare band this year. She also has a 2-year-old colt by American Pharoah training in Ocala and another American Pharoah yearling colt.

Weston's boutique breeding program is strictly a breed-to-race operation. Along with a handful of mares in New York, he owns Sabrina's Angel (Scat Daddy), a half-sister to WinStar sire Audible.

Weston said that he considers breeding a filly like Jody's Pride to be one of the highlights of his time in the game.

“It's a different feeling,” he explained. “Not that I don't enjoy Porta Fortuna and the others because I do, but it's a different feeling when you breed one and you're racing it, especially at a high level.”

Jody's Pride as a yearling at Ashford | courtesy Ashford Stud

Weston co-owns Jody's Pride with his good friend Joe D'Agostino of Sportsmen Stable. The pair has been counting down the days until their star filly's 3-year-old debut.

Jody's Pride was originally pointing for the GII Davona Dale S., but after she put in two works at Gulfstream, Abreu decided to send her to the Busher S. at Aqueduct, where she has won once before.

“She's up there now and she's ready to go,” Weston reported. “It was different when we went into the Breeders' Cup because we were not expecting much. There wasn't much pressure and we were just happy to be there. Now I'm sorry to say that our hopes are so high that going into New York, sure we hope we win, but we expect to run really well.”

Weston has followed this same path to the Oaks before. In 2022 Venti Valentine (Firing Line), a filly Parkland Thoroughbreds co-owns with NY Final Furling Racing Stable, won the Busher and was second in the GII Gazelle S. before taking her connections to the Oaks. While the Abreu trainee finished well back in 14^th that day, she has since proven to be a skilled New York-bred stakes filly for the group, most recently finishing second in the Broadway S. at Aqueduct on Feb. 17.

Weston has a lot to look forward to this spring as many of his top horses are set to return to the racetrack in the coming weeks.

Porta Fortuna, who ran second in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, has returned to training for the partnership of Medallion Racing, Parkland Thoroughbreds, Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Barry Fowler and will make her 3-year-old debut back in her home country of Ireland in early April.

Papilio, who is co-owned by DJ Stable, Medallion Racing and Barry Fowler, made her 4-year-old debut at Gulfstream this past weekend and finished a close second to MSW Sweet Dani Girl (Jess's Dream).

Mischievous Angel (Into Mischief) is a 4-year-old out of Weston's broodmare Sabrina's Angel. The gelding broke his maiden on debut last June and then finished sixth in the GII Hall of Fame S. While the Chad Brown trainee hasn't seen the starting gate since, Weston said he has been putting in solid works at Palm Meadows this year and is set to make his 4-year-old debut at Keeneland this spring.

“I have had a lot of lean years, but the last couple of years have really improved,” he said, and then grinned. “I think I'm actually almost breaking even.”

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“I broke a step slow and I asked her to get herself into the race from there,” said winning pilot Flavien Prat. “Once I hit the turn, she just swapped leads and naturally on her own took me there. I didn't want to take anything away that came easy.”

Trainer Jorge Abreu said, “The main thing I like about her is that she relaxed a little bit today. That was my worry. When she ran the first time [going] 5 1/2 [furlongs], you know how they can be mentally, especially the fillies–they want to be a little keyed up and stuff like that. The first day we galloped her after the race, she looked like she was going to go the other way, but then she's got a pretty good, level head, that filly.”

As far as what could be next, the conditioner said, “My goal is to make it to the Breeders' Cup with her. I think she's that kind of horse. [Which race] is something we have to sit down and see. We'll see how she comes out in the morning and take it from there. I would rather go a mile. A mile on the turf. My first preference is turf.”

Pedigree Notes:

Jody's Pride is her sire's 35th Northern Hemisphere black-type winner, and would be his 19th grade/group winner should the original grade of this race be reinstated after review. She is the 27th Northern Hemisphere stakes winner out of a Scat Daddy mare. Mackinnon, the multiple stakes-winning juvenile who was third in the 2021 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf, is bred on this same American Pharoah–Scat Daddy cross.

Steve Weston's Parkland Thoroughbreds and trainer Jorge Abreu also campaigned the winner's dam, who was a $250,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling and won both of her starts in turf sprints against fellow New York-breds. Jody's Song's prior foal Empathy (Uncle Mo) broke her maiden going seven furlongs on the Belmont grass in July. A half-brother to MGSW/GISP Make Mischief (Into Mischief), Jody's Song has yearling and foal full-brothers to Jody's Pride. She most recently visited Epicenter.

Sunday, Aqueduct
MATRON S.*, $150,000, Belmont The Big A, 10-8, 2yo, f, 6f (off turf), 1:10.77, ft.
1–JODY'S PRIDE, 120, f, 2, by American Pharoah
               1st Dam: Jody's Song, by Scat Daddy
               2nd Dam: Speightful Lady, by Speightstown
               3rd Dam: England's Rose, by Nureyev
1ST BLACK TYPE WIN. O-Parkland Thoroughbreds and
Sportsmen Stable; B-Mr. Steve Weston (KY); T-Jorge R. Abreu;
J-Flavien Prat. $82,500. Lifetime Record: 2-2-0-0, $140,250.
Click for the free Equineline catalogue-style pedigree. 
2–Tricky Temper, 120, f, 2, Into Mischief–Winter Book, by Any
Given Saturday. ($97,000 RNA Ylg '22 FTKOCT; $230,000 2yo
'23 OBSAPR). 1ST BLACK TYPE. O-Mark H. Stanley; B-Sequel
Thoroughbreds, LLC & Lakland Farm (NY); T-Jeremiah C.
Englehart. $30,000.
3–A Primera Vista, 120, f, 2, Competitive Edge–
Dazzlingsweetheart, by Dazzling Falls. ($70,000 Ylg '22
MNSAUG). O/T-Kerri Raven; B-Mary & Eric VonSeggern (MN).
$18,000.
Margins: 3 1/4, 4 3/4, 4. Odds: 1.25, 16.30, 31.75.
Also Ran: Sugar Hi, Leslie's Loot, Love to Eat, Devil At Midnight. Scratched: Amidst Waves, Ever So Sweet (Ire), Independenceavenue, Marco T., Star of Mystery (GB). *Automatically downgraded when taken off the turf.
Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.

JODY'S PRIDE wins the Matron Stakes with Flavien Prat aboard for trainer Jorge Abreu. #BelmontAtTheBigA pic.twitter.com/BCjvdJkJ5b

— NYRA () (@TheNYRA) October 8, 2023

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The only first-time starter facing a field of more experienced maidens, SPELL ON YOU (Curlin) makes her afternoon debut Friday as a homebred for John Gunther, also the breeder of the filly's Triple Crown-winning half-brother Justify (Scat Daddy). Dam Stage Magic, 2018's broodmare of the year, is also responsible for the late GSW The Lieutenant (Street Sense) along with 'TDN Rising Star' Stage Raider (Pioneerof the Nile). Under the tutelage of trainer Jorge Abreu, Spell On You picks up jockey Dylan Davis for her unveiling. TJCIS PPS

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Shahama is making just her second U.S. start after starting her career with a perfect four-for-four record during her time in Dubai. Her trainer Todd Pletcher is looking for his seventh Mother Goose victory here.

“It was hard to gauge her racing form. The one thing we felt pretty good about was the way she had trained in company with some of our other horses,” said Pletcher. “To me, she's proven she belongs in races like that, and I thought her Oaks was maybe a better race than it looks on paper. She was still closing at the end. She drew an outside post and it took her a little while to get on track. I thought it was a solid effort.”

Meanwhile, Venti Valentine is a native New Yorker and has never been worse than second in her home state.

“She came out of the Oaks in good shape,” trainer Jorge Abreu said. “I'm going to cross a line through that race and just regroup with her. She's been doing everything well here. I think one turn will suit her better, not that she can't go two turns because she proved she can go two turns. But I think the mile and a sixteenth and cutting back in distance will be better for her.”

GI Darley Alcibiades S. winner Juju's Map (Liam's Map) skipped the Oaks and instead dominated an optional claimer on the undercard in her first start since finishing second in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. She returns to stakes action in this five-horse field.

Just under an hour later at Thistledown, a trio of GI Kentucky Derby also-rans and a good-looking winner on the GI Preakness S. undercard will line up in the GIII Ohio Derby. GIII Stonestreet Lexington S. victor Tawny Port (Pioneerof the Nile) finished best of the three when seventh on the First Saturday in May for Brad Cox, who won this event in 2019.

GII Tampa Bay Derby hero Classic Causeway (Giant's Causeway) was a few spots behind him in 11th that day. Previously trained by Brian Lynch, the chestnut–one of just three from his outstanding sire's final crop–makes his first start for Ken McPeek Saturday.

Ethereal Road | Jim McCue/MJC

White Abarrio (Race Day) finished 16th in the Derby after winning both the GIII Holy Bull S. and GI Curlin Florida Derby. The gray receives Lasix for the first time in this event.

GII Rebel S. runner-up Ethereal Road (Quality Road) was a late defection from the Run for the Roses, allowing winner Rich Strike (Keen Ice) into the field some 36 hours before post time. His GI Kentucky Oaks-winning stablemate Secret Oath (Arrogate) went on to the Preakness, while Ethereal Road was re-routed to the Sir Barton S. earlier on the card. The D. Wayne Lukas trainee produced an eye-catching late rally, charging home to a decisive victory.

Also worth a look at a price is New York-bred Barese (Laoban), who gets Lasix for the first time here. He thrashed his fellow native New Yorkers in his first three starts, but could only manage fifth behind eventual GI Belmont S. winner Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo) in the GII Wood Memorial S. and could only manage third as the heavy favorite back against locals in an NYSS event Apr. 23.

Right in the middle of those sophomore races is a competitive sprint for older fillies and mares, the GIII Chicago S. at Churchill Downs. This test has attracted a pair of Grade I winners in Bell's the One (Majesticperfection) and Kalypso (Brody's Cause), as well as Sconsin (Include), who enters off wins in the Open Mind S. and GIII Winning Colors S. Don't count out GIII Go For Wand H. romper Lady Rocket (Tale of the Cat) or GI Derby City Distaff runner-up Four Graces (Majesticperfection).

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The New York-bred fell just a neck short of Nest (Curlin) two back in last December's GII Demoiselle S. over track and trip, the only blemish in her four career starts.

“We knew she had talent early on, and turning from two to three, you could see the right change on her,” trainer Jorge Abreu said of Venti Valentine's development. “She got stronger, she was more focused and she showed that in her last race.”

Nostalgic (Medaglia d'Oro), fourth at second asking in the Demoiselle, failed to take to turf as the 4-1 favorite in her sophomore unveiling at Gulfstream Feb. 5. The Godolphin homebred rebounded in style, however, with a visually impressive optional claiming tally back on dirt in Hallandale Mar. 3.

'TDN Rising Star' Classy Edition (Classic Empire), a winner of her first three versus fellow New York-breds, including a pair of stakes, held her own in her first try against open company finishing second behind the talented Kathleen O. (Upstart) in the one-turn mile GII Davona Dale S. Mar. 5.

The Gazelle offers 100-40-20-10 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points to the top-four finishers.

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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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Trained by Jorge Abreu, the New York-bred daughter of Firing Line was last seen finishing a determined second in the Grade 2 Demoiselle at Aqueduct on Dec. 5, beaten just a neck by the Todd Pletcher-trained Nest.

Venti Valentine posted a half-mile breeze in 50.80 Jan. 8 at Palm Meadows Training Center.

“She's doing really good and that was a great run from her last time,” said Edgar Estevez, assistant to Abreu. “Jorge is very pleased with the way she came out of the race and he decided to give her a little bit of a rest and start her back up down at Palm Meadows. She's taking it easy right now.”

Venti Valentine's Demoiselle effort came after going 2-for-2 in her first two outings, breaking her maiden at first asking in a maiden special weight at Belmont in September. After eking out a nose victory and defeating 11 fellow state-breds sprinting six furlongs on debut, Abreu stepped the filly up to stakes company next time out in Belmont's Maid of the Mist.

Venti Valentine made easy work of the stretch-out to one mile in the Maid of the Mist, coming from off the pace to secure a 3 3/4-length victory. Applying the same off-the-pace tactics in the Demoiselle, Venti Valentine came up just short but earned a career-best 77 Beyer in defeat.

Bred in the Empire State by Final Furlong Racing Stable and Parkland Thoroughbreds, Venti Valentine earned four qualifying Kentucky Oaks points for her runner-up finish in the Demoiselle, tying her with seven other fillies on the Kentucky Oaks leaderboard. The filly's next start is still to be determined.

“With horses, every day is something different,” Estevez said. “The plan is still the Oaks and hopefully everything goes to our advantage.”

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Trained by Jorge Abreu, the bay daughter of Flintshire enters off a closing second in the Grade 2 Sands Point on October 16 at Belmont Park, where she made up nearly six lengths from the first point of call to miss by a neck to Fluffy Socks.

Runaway Rumour captured her first three lifetime starts, all at Belmont Park. Following a triumph in a state-bred maiden going six furlongs over Belmont's inner turf in May, she defeated New York-bred winners going one mile on the Widener turf five weeks later. She made her stakes debut a winning one, when besting open company in the Wild Applause on June 26 at Belmont.

Abreu said he is hoping for firm footing for Sunday's race.

“I'm more concerned about the weather than anything else. We're supposed to get some rain,” Abreu said. “The horse is doing great though. She came out of her last race in really good shape and had a nice breeze at Belmont the other day. She doesn't need much done with her, she's a small horse.”

Runaway Rumour is out of the multiple stakes-placed Elusive Quality mare Elusive Rumour, who produced stakes-winner Myhartblongstodady who also is trained by Abreu.

Jose Lezcano returns to the irons aboard Runaway Rumour from post 11.

Trainer Graham Motion will be represented by a trio of fillies, including Michael Ryan, Jeff Drown and Team Hanley's Invincible Gal who arrives off a close fourth in the Glen Cove on October 15 at Belmont.

The five-time stakes-placed daughter of Invincible Spirit returns to Aqueduct for the first time since finishing a late-closing second in the Tepin in November 2020. She built on a productive juvenile campaign when picking up second-place finishes in the Grade 3 Soaring Softly on May 15 at Belmont Park and the Virginia Oaks two starts back on August 31 at Colonial Downs.

“She's obviously a very hard-knocking horse,” Motion said. “I'm a little torn with her. I'm almost leaning toward thinking she wants to go short, but she ran so well in the Virginia Oaks going a mile and an eighth.”

Invincible Gal will be piloted by Hall of Famer John Velazquez from post 10.

Earle I. Mack's Batyah will attempt to shake off 13 months' worth of rust when making her first start since finishing fifth in the Grade 2 Jessamine in October 2020 at Keeneland. The dark bay or brown daughter of Pioneerof the Nile displayed a devastating late kick on debut last September at Belmont, rallying from ten lengths off the pace in ninth to win by 2 ¼ lengths over the Widener turf.

“She's been ready to run for a while,” Motion said. “I entered her a few times and got a little unlucky with the weather and races coming off the grass, but from a fitness point she should be ready.”

Hall of Famer Javier Castellano has the call from post 5.

Rounding out Motion's contingent is Fortune Racing's Bipartisanship who makes her North American stakes debut off a sharp maiden triumph over the Laurel Park turf on October 10. Following a third-place finish at Belmont in her first stateside start, the Bated Breath chestnut made up 13 lengths last out to win at sixth asking by 3 ¾ lengths.

Initially campaigned in Ireland, Bipartisanship earned black type when finishing third at 80-1 odds in the Group 3 Brownstown in July at Fairyhouse to Group 3 winner Pearls Galore, who finished sixth in last Saturday's Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Mile.

“The first time I ran her at Belmont she just walked out of the gate but ran respectfully. I took her to Laurel and she won very comfortably that day,” Motion said. “I thought the effort warranted a try against stakes company. It's one of the last chances to run against straight 3-year-olds. She acts like she can be pretty useful.”

Jevian Toledo will retain the mount from post 8.

Gainesway Stable homebred White Frost will make her first start since January 30 when she captured the Grade 3 Sweetest Chant at Gulfstream Park over next out winners Con Lima and Domain Expertise.

The dark bay daughter of Candy Ride, out of stakes-winner Miss Frost, returns to the Big A for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott after breaking her maiden over the inner turf last November.

Breaking from post 6, White Frost will be ridden by Junior Alvarado.

Trainer Cherie DeVaux will saddle Lazy F Ranch homebred Gam's Mission, who has not raced since finishing fifth in the Grade 3 Saratoga Oaks Invitational on August 8. The Noble Mission bay captured the Grade 3 Regret on May 29 at Churchill Downs three starts back ahead of a close fourth in the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational on July 10.

Luis Saez will ride from post 4.

Trainer Christophe Clement will saddle graded stakes winner Plum Ali, who boasts the highest field bankroll with $593,500.

The First Samurai chestnut captured Grade 2 Miss Grillo in her most recent victory. Despite being winless in six starts this season, Plum Ali garnered black type twice this year when finishing third in the Grade 2 Appalachian on April 3 at Keeneland and second in the Grade 3 Wonder Again on June 3 at Belmont Park. She arrives off a fifth beaten 1 ¾ lengths in the Grade 2 Sands Point.

Manny Franco will ride from post 3.

Completing the field are Quinevere [post 1, Kendrick Carmouche], Bleecker Street [post 2, Irad Ortiz, Jr.], Miss Dracarys [post 7, Dylan Davis], Out of Sorts [post 9, Jorge Vargas, Jr.], and Flown [post 12, Jose Ortiz].

The Winter Memories honors Phillips Racing Partnership's turf distaffer, who captured the Grade 1 Garden City Handicap in 2011 and the Grade 1 Diana the following year. The Jimmy Toner trained daughter of El Prado, out of fellow Grade 1-winning millionaire Memories of Silver, won seven graded stakes throughout her career and boasts earnings in excess of $1.2 million.
The Winter Memories is carded as Race 8 on Aqueduct's nine-race program. First post is 12:20 p.m.

America's Day at the Races will present daily coverage and analysis of the fall meet at Aqueduct Racetrack on the networks of FOX Sports. For the complete broadcast schedule, visit https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

The post Small But Mighty: Runaway Rumour Faces Loaded Field In Winter Memories appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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