Warren’s Veneda towers over Vanity; Bal a Bali makes U.S. bow in American

Warren’s Veneda towers over Vanity; Bal a Bali
makes U.S. bow in American

Warren’s Veneda should dominate the Vanity after the scratch of Beholder (Benoit Photo) Saturday’s $300,000 Vanity (G1) at Santa Anita was supposed to feature the top two females out west, dual champion Beholder (Henny Hughes) and rising star Warren’s Veneda (Affirmative). Unfortunately, the clash was called off after Beholder spiked a fever Thursday. That leaves the streaking Warren’s Veneda as the class of the field by far, with only three apparently overmatched foes remaining in the short field. Warren’s Veneda discovered her best form when switching back to dirt this winter, recording a head second in the Bayakoa (G2) before reeling off consecutive wins in the Paseana, Santa Maria (G2) and Santa Margarita (G1). She seemed to get stronger each start, registering a career-best 100 BRIS Speed rating for the 7 1/4-length romp in the Santa Margarita, and trainer Craig Lewis flirted with the idea of trying her against males in the lucrative Charles Town Classic (G2) before opting for the Vanity.

The California-bred chestnut has been freshened 56 days in advance of the
Vanity and Warren’s Veneda will keep Tyler Baze in the irons.

The remaining contestants – Gas Total (Sulamani), Legacy (Sightseeing) and My
Sweet Addiction (Tiznow) — are in tough.

While trainer Richard Mandella had to withdraw Beholder from the Vanity, the
Hall of Famer will send out Brazilian superstar Bal a Bali (Put It Back) for his
North American debut in the $100,000
American
(G3), a one-mile turf affair for three-year-olds and up.

Winner of the
Triple Crown in his native Brazil, the five-year-old horse has captured 11 of 12
career starts, 10 as the odds-on favorite, and earned $510,078.

Following his last start in June, Bal a Bali was purchased by Fox Hill Farm
and Siena Farm and imported to the U.S. in late summer, but he unfortunately got
sick traveling and contracted laminitis. After recovering at the Palm Beach
Equine Clinic in Florida, Bal a Bali was sent to Mandella’s barn
in California.

“He’s terrific, training like a billion dollars,” said Mandella, who won his
2000th career race last Saturday. “A million wouldn’t be enough.”

Flavien Prat, who is off to a fast start at the Santa Anita spring/summer
meet with six wins, picks up the mount and Bal a Bali will will break from the
far outside post among eight rivals.

His main challengers include Grade 1 winner Winning Prize (Pure Prize),
last-out Thunder Road victor Talco (Pivotal) and Grade 3 scorer Home Run Kitten
(Kitten’s Joy).

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