Jorge Abreu | Horse Racing Free Tips

Demoiselle Runner-Up Venti Valentine Takes First Steps Of 2022 On Road To Kentucky Oaks

NY Final Furlong Racing Stable and Parkland Thoroughbreds' Venti Valentine is enjoying some time in Florida before making her next start on the road to the Kentucky Oaks.

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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Small But Mighty: Runaway Rumour Faces Loaded Field In Winter Memories

Lawrence Goichman's New York homebred Runaway Rumour seeks a return to winning form as part of a deep field assembled for Sunday's $150,000 Winter Memories for sophomore fillies going 1 1/16 miles over the inner turf at Aqueduct Racetrack.

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.

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Ny Traffic, Shipsational Take Stakes On Empire Showcase Day

CHC Inc. and WinStar Farm's Americanrevolution, trained by Hall of Famer Todd Pletcher and expertly piloted by Luis Saez, successfully stepped up against older company to capture the featured $300,000 Empire Classic on Saturday's lucrative Empire Showcase Day card, at Belmont Park in Elmont, N.Y.

The special 10-race card devoted to horses bred in the Empire State boasted six stakes worth a combined $1.35 million.

“Today's Empire Showcase Day was a prime example of the success and integral role the New York-bred program has in the thoroughbred racing industry,” said Najja Thompson, Executive Director of New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc. “Each of our three annual showcase days highlight the quality of talent being produced by the breeders of our state and the opportunities available in incentives for breeders, along with exceptional purses for owners and horsemen.”

Americanrevolution, a sophomore son of Constitution bred by Fred W. Hertrich, III and John D. Fielding, completed a hat trick of wins in August with an impressive five-length win in the nine-furlong Albany on New York Showcase Day at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

The talented chestnut entered Saturday's test from a third-place finish in the Grade 1 Pennsylvania Derby on September 25 at Parx Racing in Bensalem, Penn. He made his return to state-bred company a winning one with a convincing 11 3/4-length score in the nine-furlong event for 3-year-olds and up which was contested over a sloppy and sealed main track in Race 9.

Sea Foam, winner of the Evan Shipman in August at the Spa, led the field through splits of 22.85 and 45.84 with two-time Empire Classic winner Mr. Buff tracking in second and Americanrevolution outside rivals and clear in third. Americanrevolution advanced at will through the turn, overtaking Sea Foam at the head of the lane and powered home to a visually-impressive score in 1:49.11.

Wild Banker completed the exacta by a nose over Sea Foam. Danny California, Captain Bombastic, Tiergan, Three Jokers, and Mr. Buff rounded out the order of finish.

Americanrevolution graduated at second asking sprinting six furlongs against older company over Big Sandy on June 20 and followed with a romping 7 1/4-length score in the New York Derby at Finger Lakes ahead of his Albany coup. A $275,000 purchase at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Preferred New York-bred Sale, Americanrevolution is out of the Super Saver mare Polly Freeze. Sent to post as the 2-5 mutuel favorite, Americanrevolution paid $2.90 for a $2 win bet.

Elliott Walden, President and CEO of WinStar Farm, said the Constitution chestnut has proven to be among the elite sophomores currently in training.

“He's a very nice horse. I think he's probably the ninth or tenth best 3-year-old in the country right now,” Walden said. “Some of the better ones are retiring after this year so if he comes back well, who knows how it goes next year. He's certainly done nothing wrong and I'm very excited of what's ahead for him.”

Barry Schwartz's Sharp Starr made a triumphant return to stakes company, rallying from last-of-10 to post a 3 1/4-length victory in the $250,000 Empire Distaff for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up going 1 1/16 miles in Race 8.

The 4-year-old Munnings filly, who won the Grade 3 Go for Wand to cap her sophomore season in December at Aqueduct Racetrack in Ozone Park, N.Y., looked fresh in her first start in more than two months, overtaking Make Mischief at the top of the stretch and powering home a winner in a 1:44.23 final time for trainer Horacio DePaz.

Sharp Starr, off at 16-1, was put under a hold by Jose Ortiz as Trinni Luck led the field through the opening quarter in :23.19, the half in :46.62, and three-quarters in 1:10.91. Ortiz utilized a ground-saving trip before tipping Sharp Starr out entering the turn. With Make Mischief overtaking the tiring pacesetter, Sharp Starr took aim at her rival and overtook her in the stretch to register her first win in five starts this year. Sharp Starr, bred by Stonewell Farm, returned $34.40 in improving to 4-3-3 in 14 starts while increasing her career bankroll to $224,545.

DePaz said Sharp Starr could look to defend her title in the one-mile $250,000 Grade 3 Go for Wand on December 4 at Aqueduct.

“It's definitely a possibility,” DePaz said. “She handled the mile and a sixteenth fine here, so we'll see what her perfect distance will be. We'll keep that race under consideration.”

Ice Princess rallied for second under Saez, with Make Mischief running third. Mrs. Orb, Bank Sting, Maiden Beauty, Dancing Kiki, Byhubbyhellomoney, Trinni Luck, and Vienna Code completed the order of finish.

Iris Smith Stable's Shipsational kicked off the stakes action on Empire Showcase Day by fending off 4-5 favorite Overstep's re-rally effort to win the $250,000 Sleepy Hollow for juveniles contesting a one-turn mile in Race 3.

The Edward Barker-trained Shipsational, who captured the Bertram F. Bongard on September 26 at Belmont, notched his second consecutive stakes win by leading the six-horse field through an opening quarter-mile in :24.09, the half in :47.74, and three-quarters in 1:12.45 over a sloppy and sealed track.

Entering the stretch, Saez kept 6-5 Shipsational to task, repelling Overstep's bid from the outside under Irad Ortiz, Jr. to post a half-length victory, completing the course in a final time of 1:38.32 while paying $4.60 on a $2 win bet. Following Overstep was Who Hoo That's Me, Sterling Hill, Excursionniste, and Sundaeswithsandy completing the order of finish.

Shipsational, now 3-for-4 to start his career, could now target the 1 1/8-mile $250,000 Grade 2 Remsen on December 4 at Aqueduct Racetrack. Barker said he is looking forward to trying the Midshipman colt [bred by Mr. and Mrs. Bertram R. Firestone] around two turns for the first time in a race that offers 10-4-2-1 qualifying points to the 2022 Grade 1 Kentucky Derby.

John Fanelli, Cash is King, LC Racing, and Paul Braverman's Ny Traffic splashed to an emphatic 8 3/4-length victory in the $150,000 Hudson, a 6 1/2-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up in Race 5.

Trained by Saffie Joseph, Jr and piloted by Irad Ortiz, Jr., the 4-year-old Cross Traffic gray, bred by Brian Culnan, returned from a two-month layoff with vigor, taking over from pacesetter Foolish Ghost at the top of the lane and powering home in a final time of 1:17.51. The late-running Chestertown, who advanced up the rail through the turn before angling out for the stretch run, completed the exacta. Jemography, Foolish Ghost, Amundson, Our Last Buck, Judge N Jury, and Bronx Bomber rounded out the order of finish. Kaz's Beach was scratched.

Joseph, Jr. said the 2020 Grade 1 Haskell runner-up will now target the $750,000 Grade 1 Cigar Mile Handicap on December 4 at the Big A.

“He won well. The slop was a bit of a concern, but he had trained really well into this race and ran good,” Joseph, Jr. said. “It seems like one-turn is what he wants to do. I think we'll give the Cigar Mile a shot.”

Ny Traffic improved his record to 16-4-4-2 with purse earnings of $754,920. He paid $3.90.

Bloom Racing Stable homebred The Important One broke sharp and led the six-horse field gate-to-wire to notch her first career stakes win by posting a 6 1/4-length score in the $150,000 Iroquois for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up sprinting 6 1/2 furlongs in Race 6.

Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, The Important One was sent to the front from post 2 under jockey Jose Lezcano, posting an opening quarter-mile in :23.04 with the half in :45.70. In the stretch, the 4-year-old Majestic City filly drew away from runner-up Miss Jimmy, hitting the wire in 1:18.03. The Important One, making her first stakes appearance in eight starts, ran her win streak to three while improving to 5-0-3 in 13 career starts for purse earnings to $278,190.

The Important One, one of three horses in the race off at 2-1, returned $6.20. Completing the order of finish behind Miss Jimmy was slight favorite Espresso Shot, Hannah Dances, Fight On Lucy, and Letmetakethiscall.

NY Final Furlong Racing Stable and Parkland Thoroughbreds' Venti Valentine, trained by Jorge Abreu with Ortiz Jr. up, made her stakes debut a winning one in the $250,000 Maid of the Mist, a one-turn mile for juvenile fillies in Race 7.

Sandy's Garden set splits of :23.24 and :46.68 under pressure from Sue Ellen Mishkin as Venti Valentine, who broke a step slow, saved ground in third. Ortiz, Jr. gave Venti Valentine her cue through the turn, advancing with purpose and finding racing room outside the tiring Sandy's Garden as the field straightened away. Once presented, the Firing Line chestnut, bred by Final Furlong Racing Stable and Maspeth Stable, drew off impressively to win by 3 3/4-lengths in a final time of 1:39.78. Captainsdaughter rallied from far back to complete the exacta.

Dufresne, Velvet Sister, Classic Lynne, Sandy's Garden, Vallelujah, and Sue Ellen Mishkin rounded out the order of finish. Luz was pulled up in the stretch run and vanned off. Starship Laoban was scratched.

Undefeated in two starts, Venti Valentine returned $8.70.

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Due to significant rainfall from a coastal storm that impacted Long Island Tuesday and Wednesday, a pair of $200,000 state-bred turf races originally scheduled for Saturday – the Ticonderoga for fillies and mares 3-years-old and up, and the Mohawk for 3-year-olds and up – have been rescheduled for Friday, November 5, and Saturday, November 6, respectively.

Live racing returns Sunday at Belmont Park with a nine-race card highlighted by $200,000 Grade 3 Bold Ruler Handicap, a seven-furlong sprint for 3-year-olds and up along with two divisions of the $100,000 Pumpkin Pie at seven furlongs over Big Sandy for fillies and mares. First post is 12:35 p.m. Eastern.

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New York-Bred Runaway Rumour Returns To Graded Company In Sands Point

Lawrence Goichman's New York-homebred Runaway Rumour will look to make her third graded attempt a winning one in Saturday's Grade 2, $200,000 Sands Point, a nine-furlong inner turf test for sophomore fillies at Belmont Park.

Trained by Jorge Abreu, the Flintshire bay captured the open-company Wild Applause traveling one-mile in June over the Belmont turf and followed with a pair of graded efforts at Saratoga Race Course, finishing fourth in the one-mile Grade 3 Lake George in July and second in the 1 1/16-mile Grade 2 Lake Placid in August.

Runaway Rumour enters from a closing third in the one-mile Pebbles, an open-company test won by Spanish Loveaffair by 2 1/4-lengths over returning rival Jordan's Leo.

With Jose Lezcano up for the Pebbles from the outermost post 11, Runaway Rumor settled in ninth position before launching a five-wide rally in upper stretch to finish one length to Jordan's Leo.

“She shows up every time she runs and it's been against open [company],” Abreu said. “She always shows up. Last time, she was compromised with the post position in a big field of horses. She was maneuvering herself around there.”

Out of the Elusive Quality mare Elusive Rumour, Runaway Rumour is a half-sister to her multiple stakes-winning stablemate Myhartblongstodady – a 6-year-old daughter of Scat Daddy.

Abreu said the half-siblings are markedly different in demeanor.

“They have very different attitudes. Myhartblongstodady is a little tougher than she is,” Abreu said. “Runaway Rumour is doing great. She came out of her last race really well.”

Lezcano retains the mount from post 4.

Four-time Eclipse Award-winning trainer Chad Brown has entered Fluffy Socks and Higher Truth in search of a fifth Sands Point win following scores with Ball Dancing [2014], Uni [2017], New and Improved [2019] and a year ago with Tamahere.

Head of Plains Partners' homebred Fluffy Socks won 3-of-5 juveniles starts, closing out her campaign with a half-length score in the one-mile Grade 3 Jimmy Durante over firm Del Mar turf.

The Kentucky-bred daughter of Slumber is in search of her first win this season having posted a record of 4-0-2-1, including a closing third last out on August 21 in the nine-furlong Grade 1 Del Mar Oaks.

Brown said he expects Fluffy Socks to demonstrate her usual racing style after exiting post 7 under returning rider Joel Rosario.

“She's training quite well. She should show a late-closing turn of foot,” Brown said.

Michael Ryan, Jeff Drown and Team Hanley's multiple graded stakes placed Higher Truth, an Irish-bred daughter of Galileo, was unraced as a juvenile.

The talented bay graduated at second asking traveling 10 furlongs on the Belmont turf in April ahead of a 10-furlong allowance win at Belmont in June before hitting the board in all three legs of NYRA's Turf Triple series for fillies.

Higher Truth was a solid third in the 10-furlong Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational in July – a race that the winner, Santa Barbara, exited to win the Grade 1 Beverly D. at Arlington Park.

In August, Higher Truth finished a game second to Belmont Oaks runner-up Con Lima in the 1 3/16-mile Grade 3 Saratoga Oaks Invitational ahead of a pacesetting second last out in the 11-furlong Jockey Club Oaks Invitational.

Brown said Higher Truth won't have any issue negotiating nine furlongs.

“I think she'll be able to handle the cutback. She's been training well,” Brown said.

Irad Ortiz, Jr. will step aboard for the first time from post 5.

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Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, and Michael J. Caruso's Plum Ali made the grade with a 2 1/4-length score in last year's Grade 2 Miss Grillo traveling 1 1/16-miles on the Belmont turf.

Although winless in six starts since the Miss Grillo, Plum Ali has hit the board twice with a third in the one-mile Grade 2 Appalachian in April at Keeneland in her seasonal debut, which was followed by a closing second in the nine-furlong Grade 3 Wonder Again in June at Belmont.

Trained by Christophe Clement, the First Samurai chestnut enters from a wide-rallying fifth in the Pebbles.

Manny Franco picks up the mount from post 6.

StarLadies Racing's Jordan's Leo made her first four starts on dirt, including a second-out graduation in April sprinting six furlongs at Gulfstream Park.

Following an even third in a 1 1/16-mile allowance test against older company in June over Big Sandy, Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher entered Jordan's Leo in a nine-furlong optional-claiming event on the Saratoga turf August 11 and the Malibu Moon bay responded with a prominent half-length score over next-out allowance winner Town Avenger.

“I wasn't sure she was a turf horse early on, so we gave her an opportunity on the dirt,” Pletcher said. “We breezed her on turf and she showed a little improvement. Her allowance win at Saratoga verified that.”

Jordan's Leo enters from a forwardly-placed second in the Pebbles.

“She has tactical speed so she can put herself in a good spot depending on the pace scenario,” Pletcher said.

Luis Saez has the call from post 2.

Rounding out the field are Our Flash Drive [post 8, Dylan Davis], a graded-stakes winner on Tapeta and turf at Woodbine for Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse; Harajuku [post 3, Junior Alvarado], a Group 3-winner in France in May, who finished third last out in her North American debut in the Jockey Club Oaks; and Chiefswood Stables' homebred Third Draft [post 1, Javier Castellano], runner-up in the restricted Riskaverse in August at the Spa.

The Sands Point is slated as Race 6 on Saturday's 10-race card. First post is 12:35 p.m. Eastern.

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

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