Venencia's Value Rises With Eye-Catching Dowager Win

Venencia (FR) arrived at Keeneland this week to kick off an important month ahead of her in Lexington. The first stop Oct. 19 was the turf course for the $262,000 Dowager Stakes (G3T), a box she checked emphatically with an eye-catching 2 3/4-length triumph. That triumph, her first in nearly a year, could not have been more well-timed for the 5-year-old Recoletos (FR) mare as her second stop in Lexington comes Nov. 6 in the Keeneland Sales Pavilion for the November Breeding Stock Sale as a broodmare or racing prospect in Book 2. "It really moves up her value coming into the November sale," said Peter Bradley of co-owner Bradley Thoroughbreds. "She's going to be a star on the day. She's a beautiful filly, she's got race left. It's what you try and make happen." The Dowager was Venencia's first start for trainer Brendan Walsh. After debuting a winner in France, where she was bred by Patricia, Ines, and Fernando Laffon Lomba, she was moved to Chad Brown's barn in the United States while racing in the silks of Bradley Thoroughbreds, Laura Leigh Stable, Belmar Racing and Breeding, Cambron Equine, and Team Hanley. They have since been joined in ownership by Jim Cone. A stakes winner with three graded placings for Brown, she joined the barn of Michael Doyle at Woodbine as she prepared for graded targets in Canada. After finishing fourth in the E. P. Taylor Stakes (G1T) and Singspiel Stakes (G3T), she was moved to Kentucky and Walsh's care. Buyers who may be interested in continuing the mare's racing career were given some insight by Walsh as Sunday's test was her first at 1 1/2 miles, a distance that appeared to make a difference. "I'd say she probably loved it," Walsh said. "That's what it was going to be, who was going to stay and who was going to like the ground. "She had the talent; she is a stakes winner. It was worth taking a shot, and from here she might turn out to be a nice staying mare as we go on again." The turf course was rated yielding after on-and-off rain showers throughout the morning and parts of the afternoon. Venencia had raced twice on a wet course before with no wins, but both had been on courses rated good. Jockey Ben Curtis knew within the opening strides that his mount was faring well over this softer surface and took advantage by placing her in a forward position behind Cupids Crush. Third on the rail the first time down the stretch, Curtis found himself potentially getting trapped by John Velazquez aboard Walsh-trained stablemate Bless My Stars (SAF). He then swung outside and hit the gas early to establish himself in the second position in the clear. "That was probably the winning of the race," Walsh said of Curtis' ride. "He felt they weren't going strong enough, even though it was soft. That's a decision you live and die by. He went to it, and fair play to him. He did a great job." The pace was slow with Cupids Crush setting fractions of :25.92, :52.49, and 1:16.98. Curtis sought command at the 5/16th pole and took it with ease. The only challenge came from Bless My Stars, who had continued to follow her stablemate from third. It looked like a stretch battle would form at the eighth pole, but Curtis had more in the tank as Venencia lengthened the lead again approaching the wire. Stopping the clock in 2:35.69, she paid $17.76 to win. "Down the back when I had a bit of room, I pulled her out and started making a test for the rest," Curtis said. "We knew our horse had plenty of stamina; there were question marks over the others. The only unknown with mine was the ground. Once I felt her loving that ground, I thought we had every chance. She dug in when she needed to." Bless My Stars was a clear second to complete the Walsh exacta in her first start since January for Team Valor International and Gary Barber. Vive Veuve finished third while Walsh's third entrant, Spanish Eyes (GER) completed the superfecta. The results continued a hot Keeneland fall meet for Walsh, who leads the trainer standings with nine winners and earned his fourth graded stakes win. Now, Venencia's attention will be turned to the third session of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, where she is consigned by Eaton Sales as Hip 648. By two-time group 1 winner Recoletos, Venencia is out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Sign of Life, a winner in France.