BY BROCK SHERIDAN

Live Oak Plantation homebred Victory Achieved is set to return to the track off a seven-month break in Saturday’s CA$150,000 Bold Venture, a six-and-a-half-furlong test for 3-year-olds and older. Also representing Florida is Bruno Schickendanz’s Old Chestnut, winner of the Grade 3 Jacques Cartier two races back.

Woodbine appears to be a good place for the return of Victory Achieved. The 4-year-old colt produced all three of his career wins over Woodbine’s all-weather course in consecutive races last summer and fall.

His first career victory was in his third start and first time at Woodbine on Sept. 6 when he scored by a half-length in a six-and-a-half-furlong maiden special weight. He then won his next two starts, first in a six-and-a-half-furlong, non-winners of two $50,000 optional claiming on Oct. 24 before taking a second condition, $50,000 claiming by two-and-a-quarter lengths on Nov. 24.

 

Casse then returned Victory Achieved to Florida where in one start this year, he was fifth in Ninja Star’s $75,000 Sunshine Turf for Florida-breds going a mile-and-a-sixteenth on the Gulfstream Park synthetic course on Jan. 18.

Victory Achieved has won half of his six lifetime races with one third while earning $104,592. He is by Street Sense out of Lady of Victory, by War Front and is 4-1 on the morning line.

Patrick Husbands has the mount on Victory Achieved and they have drawn the inside post one.

Old Chestnut was bred by Live Oak Stud and raced in the Live Oak Stud colors during his first 21 starts until claimed for $32,000 by Schickendanz and trainer Martin Drexler in October of 2022.

He has won three of 22 starts with three seconds and three thirds while earning $237,278 in three seasons for the new team including a nearly three-length score in the Grade 3 Jacques Cartier Stakes two races back on May 31. He disappointed in his only start since, finishing sixth in the Grade 2 Highlander won by Patches O’Houlihan going six furlongs on the Woodbine turf on June 28.

 

The 8-year-old Old Chestnut has won six of 43 career races with five seconds and seven thirds while banking $433,724. He is by Speightstown out of Pool Land, by Silver Debuty and is 20-1 on the morning line.

Pietro Moran will ride from post three.

The Bold Venture has a long list of nine Florida-breds winning the race 11 times going back to Bright Object in 1966. Other Florida-bred winners are Coup Landing (1971), Pres de Tu (1977), Stutz Bearcat (1979), Jamaican Gigolo (1987, 1988), Premier Explosion (1994), Tempered Appeal (2001), Fatal Bullet (2008, 2009) and Puntrooskie (2016).

Playmea Tune is the 5-2 morning line favorite for this year’s running.

The Josie Carroll trainee exits a second-place finish in the Highlander after winning the $106,000 Forego going six-and-a-half furlongs on the Turfway Park synthetic on Feb. 1.

The 5-year-old gelded son of Maclean’s Music has won half of his eight career starts with one second and has earned $235,287 for owner Chiefswood Stables Limited.

John Velazquez has the call on Playmea Tune and they have post five.

Rounding out the field are Junior Hot Shot with jockey Jose Luis Campos, Sahin Civaci rides Ice Chocolate (Brz), Simcoe will be ridden by Ruben Hernandez, I’m A Gambler (Ire) with Flavien Prat up and Keveh Nicholls rides Twin City.

Return to the August 15 issue of Wire to Wire