Kentucky Oaks Remains Option for Returning Donna Veloce
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Photo: Benoit Photo
Co-owner Kaleem Shah guides Donna Veloce into the winner's circle after the Santa Ysabel Stakes at Santa Anita Park
Donna Veloce, sidelined this spring after winning the March 8 Santa Ysabel Stakes (G3) at Santa Anita Park, recorded her fourth workout of the summer July 31 at Del Mar. She remains a candidate for the Sept. 4 Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs, trainer Simon Callaghan said.
The Uncle Mo filly breezed a half-mile in :49, which followed a workout at the same distance July 24 in :50 3/5. She twice breezed three furlongs this month.
"She's been working weekly, and she's moving forward each breeze. We're happy with her," Callaghan said. "We're still hoping to maybe make the Oaks, but we'll let her tell us."
Despite having raced just once this year, Donna Veloce is the ninth-ranked 3-year-old filly on the Road to the Kentucky Oaks with 62 qualifying points. Besides the 50 she picked up with her 4 1/4-length victory over Speech in the Santa Ysabel, she earned points last year with runner-up finishes in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) at Santa Anita and the Starlet Stakes (G1) at Los Alamitos Race Course.
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Donna Veloce races for Kaleem Shah and Coolmore-affiliated partners Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor, and Derrick Smith.
Donna Veloce is one of two leading 3-year-old fillies on the comeback trail. The other is Finite, the sixth-ranked filly on the Oaks leaderboard who has not started since a fourth in the March 21 Twinspires.com Fair Grounds Oaks (G2).
The Munnings filly is training at Churchill toward her return for trainer Steve Asmussen and owners Winchell Thoroughbreds, Thomas Reiman, William Dickson, and Deborah Easter.
Finite wins the Rachel Alexandra Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course
About a month before the Oaks, Callaghan and Donna Veloce's owners aim to be in action with an older filly, Bellafina, whom Callaghan has slated to breeze Aug. 2 at Del Mar before heading to New York in advance of the Aug. 8 Ballerina Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course. The three-time grade 1-winning daughter of Quality Road is expected to meet defending Ballerina winner Come Dancing and others in that race. Bellafina will be ridden at Saratoga by Jose Ortiz, Callaghan said.