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Happy Medium, Venti Valentine Work Toward Next Starts

Jay Em Ess Stable's Happy Medium (Runhappy) posted his first breeze since his 'TDN Rising Star' performance Dec. 18, which was his third consecutive daylight win. The freshly minted 4-year-old was out for a half-mile work Sunday over the Belmont training track, getting the four furlongs in an easy :51.22.

“He worked well this morning,” said trainer Michelle Nevin. “It was just an easy breeze, which was what I wanted.”

A $300,000 Keeneland September yearling, Happy Medium had debuted with a third at Aqueduct last March before heading to the sidelines for six months, then reappeared to scorch a six-furlong maiden special weight at Belmont Sept. 30 by 9 1/4 lengths. An allowance in the slop at the Big A Nov. 13 resulted in a five-length score and the bay continued his tour de force Dec. 18, again at Aqueduct but this time over a fast track, by seven lengths. In addition to earning 'Rising Star' status, he also earned a 104 Beyer Speed Figure for the effort.

Nevin said no specific plans have been made for the gelding's next start.

Also working–albeit in Florida–toward her next start was another New York star from this past fall in SW & GSP Venti Valentine (Firing Line). Campaigned by NY Final Furlong Racing Stable and Parkland Thoroughbreds, the now 3-year-old worked a half-mile in :50.80 Saturday 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 trainer Jorge 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.”

After breaking her maiden on debut Sept. 26 going six panels at Belmont, Venti Valentine captured the Maid of the Mist S. at a mile Oct. 30 and was second by a neck in the GII Demoiselle S. Dec. 4 at Aqueduct at nine furlongs. In the Demoiselle, she earned four qualifying points toward the GI Kentucky Oaks, to be held May 6. Estevez indicated her next start on the path to the Oaks is yet to be determined.

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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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Nest Much The Best In Demoiselle Stakes At Aqueduct

Nest overcame a wide trip on both turns to bid for the lead in the stretch of the Demoiselle Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack. The 2-year-old daughter of Curlin took over inside the last sixteenth to win the Grade 2 stakes by a neck over Venti Valentine.

Sitting midpack early, Nest bided her time on the outside of horses as Magic Circle held a one-length lead, with Full Court Felicia and Venti Valentine in second and third down the backstretch at the Ozone Park, N.Y., racetrack. Through a first quarter in :25.05 and a half mile in :50.72, Magic Circle held on to that one-length lead heading into the far turn, as Irad Ortiz Jr. on Nest went four-wide into the stretch.

In the Aqueduct straight, Magic Circle, Venti Valentine, and Nest were three across, as Magic Circle tried to hold on under pressure from her challengers. Ortiz Jr. set Nest down for a drive, taking the lead inside the last sixteenth of a mile. At the wire, Nest was a neck in front of Venti Valentine, with Magic Circle holding on for third.

The final time for the 1 1/8 miles was 1:55.07. Find this race's chart here.

Nest paid$5.50, $3.10, and $2.20. Venti Valentine paid $5.40 and $3.70. Magic Circle paid $3.30.

“There have been some tight finishes and a little drama to go along with it, but I'm thankful to be on the right side of it all. She [Nest] was never able to take over and save much ground, but she got the job done. I'm obviously very happy to be on the winning end,” trainer Todd Pletcher said after the race. “We'll take her to Palm Beach Downs and map out a game plan with Mike [Repole] and the rest of the owners, but she'll get a freshening after this win.”

“She ran a good race today, we were looking forward to the distance and she got the job done today,” Irad Ortiz Jr. told the NYRA Press Office after the Demoiselle. “I knew the seven horse [Magic Circle] was inside and came out. I was just surprised that they claimed foul on me, honestly. I grabbed a hold of my filly, corrected her, went to the left hand and went straight. I didn't do anything to the other horse so I don't know why they claimed foul, but it is what it is.”

Bred in Kentucky by Ashview Farm and Colts Neck Stables, Nest is out of the A.P. Indy mare Marion Ravenwood. She is trained by Todd Pletcher and owned by Repole Stables, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, and Michael House. Consigned by Ashview Farm, Nest was purchased by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Repole Stables for $350,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. With her win in the G2 Demoiselle, the filly has two wins in three starts, for career earnings of $205,000. The victory earns the 2-year-old filly 10 points toward the 2022 Kentucky Oaks, with Venti Valentine receiving four points, Magic Circle two points, and Nostalgic one point.

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Nest Seeks Black-Type Badge in Demoiselle

Todd Pletcher looks to double up in Saturday's juvenile events, sending out morning-line favorite Nest (Curlin) in Aqueduct's GII Demoiselle S. just 30 minutes after he saddles Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo) in the GII Remsen S. Romping by five lengths in her two-turn Belmont unveiling Nov. 5, the $350,000 KEESEP purchase checked in third in Belmont's one-mile Tempted S. Nov. 5. Pletcher also saddles Miss Interpret (Street Sense), winner of an off-the-turf renewal of the P.G. Johnson S.

“She should love the mile and an eighth. She had a good work on Saturday morning so she's right on course,” Pletcher said.

Tempted runner-up Magic Circle (Kantharos) also returns in this test. A decisive winner first out at Saratoga Sept. 5, the chestnut checked in fourth to future champion Echo Zulu (Gun Runner) in the GI Frizette S. at Big Sandy Oct. 3.

Tap the Faith (Tapit), a $1.25-million KEESEP buy and daughter of GISW Embellish the Lace (Super Saver), enters off a late-rallying score in her career bow at Belmont Nov. 7.

“I'm running back a little bit quick in the Demoiselle, but she's been working too well so I've got to go,” trainer Christophe Clement said. “She's sound and she looks good. I would have liked an extra week or two, but that's the way it goes. She'll get a rest after this.”

Bill Mott also sends out an impressive debut winner in this test in Godolphin homebred Nostalgic (Medaglia d'Oro). The bay ran away to a 7 3/4-length decision going 1 1/16 miles in Elmont Oct. 22.

Venti Valentine (Firing Line) faces open company for the first time after defeating her fellow Empire-breds in her first two starts. Closing from well back to get up by a nose in a NY-bred event going six panels at Belmont Sept. 26, the chestnut was a good-looking winner of a sloppy renewal of the state-bred Maid of the Mist S. there Oct. 30.

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