Venetian Harbor In From California For Ladies Sprint

FRANKLIN, KY – The Richard Baltas-trained Venetian Harbor ships in from California for Saturday’s $600,000 The Mint Ladies Sprint Stakes (G3) at Kentucky Downs.

The 4-year-old Venetain Harbor has been worse than second only once in 10 starts. In 2 turf races, she was second in her debut and won Santa Anita’s Monrovia (G2).

Also in from the West Coast is the multiple stakes winner and graded stakes-placed Superstition for Hall of Famer Richard Mandella. John Sadler sends out Santa Anita stakes winner Constantia in the overflow field of 14.

The beer will be flowing in Henderson if Yes It’s Ginger prevails. There were so many people connected to Henderson beer distributor Mike “Hotdog” Utley, as well as the Brilliant Racing and Tagg Team Racing partnerships, that the winner’s circle presentation had to move to the main track after “Ginger” prevailed in the Kentucky Downs TVG Preview Ladies Sprint, which gave her a free roll in this 6 1/2-furlong race.

The Casse-trained Jeanie B lost a Grade 2 stakes at Woodbine by a nose in her last start for owner CJ Thoroughbreds, whose managing partner Corey Johnsen was president and part-owner of Kentucky Downs before its sale to Ron Winchell and Marc Falcone.

Violenza enters the race off victory in a $100,000 turf sprint at Colonial Downs in her stakes debut for trainer Ian Wilkes and his son-in-law jockey Chris Landeros. The Maker-trained Jakarta has been off form but won a starter-allowance race here last year.