Venetian Harbor Eyes Raven Run, BC Filly & Mare Sprint

Graded stakes winner Venetian Harbor could race in the Oct. 17 Lexus Raven Run Stakes (G2) at Keeneland as a potential steppingstone to the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1) there Nov. 7, trainer Richard Baltas said.

The speedy daughter of Munnings  won the Las Virgenes Stakes (G2) by 9 1/4 lengths in February at Santa Anita Park before running second in her past three outings against some of the stars of the 3-year-old filly division. She ran behind Swiss Skydiver in the May 1 Fantasy Stakes (G3) at Oaklawn Park, followed Speech in the July 11 Central Bank Ashland Stakes (G1) at Keeneland, and chased Gamine in the Aug. 8 Longines Test Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course.

"Yeah, I think we're going to run in the Raven Run," Baltas said Oct. 8 by telephone from California. "She's doing pretty well—actually, really well. She's been training at San Luis Rey, had some good breezes. She seems to be happy. So she'll probably have a final breeze this weekend, Sunday or Monday, and then she leaves on Tuesday."

The Raven Run is one of the few remaining graded stakes for 3-year-old filly sprinters left on the calendar, another being the La Brea Stakes (G1), customarily staged Dec. 26 at Santa Anita Park. That race is also in Venetian Harbor's long-term plans.

"If she runs really well in the Raven Run, bounces out of it really well, then we'll go in the Filly & Mare Sprint. But she's going to have to tell us what to do," Baltas said.

The trainer said he thinks Manny Franco will have the Raven Run riding assignment on Venetian Harbor, who races for owners Ciaglia Racing, Highland Yard, River Oak Farm, and Domenic Savides.

Joel Rosario rode Venetian Harbor in her past two races. The rider was criticized by Savides on Twitter shortly after the seven-furlong Test for placing the frontrunning filly under hold early as the Bob Baffert-trained Gamine went to the lead with a slow opening fraction.

A half-length behind for the first half-mile, she could not keep pace in the stretch and finished seven lengths back.

According to Keeneland publicity, other probable starters for the Raven Run include Center Aisle, Fair Maiden, Finite, Four Graces, Grand Cru Classe, Reagan's Edge, Sconsin, Secondary Market, Secret Keeper, and Tonalist's Shape. Impeccable Style is a possibility to start.

Baltas said Venetian Harbor is one of three horses he is considering for the Breeders' Cup. The other two are Lady Prancealot for the Maker's Mark Filly and Mare Turf (G1T) and Tetragonal for the Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T).