BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Great Venezuela had four horses beat turning for home then rallied on the outside to win going away in the $125,000 Lightning City at Tampa Bay Downs Saturday. It was the first career stakes victory for the 4-year-old daughter of Pleasant Acres Stallions’ Neolithic, as she bested 11 other fillies and mares over five furlongs on the turf.
Sent to the post as the slight 2-1 favorite, Great Venezuela and regular rider Leonel Reyes were in no hurry to keep up with 41-1 longshot Florida-bred Talkin Tipsy, who jumped out to an early lead from post five with New York invader Risk Threshold (Ire) applying pressure on the outside in second. Talkin Tipsy stretched her lead to a length-and-a-half into the turn after a :21.65 quarter mile as Great Venezuela shifted to the four-path from four lengths back in fifth.
Talkin Tipsy continued to lead by a length turning for home with Florida-breds Beauty of the Sea, Admiral Hopper and Bahamian Moon chasing in a joint second when Great Venezuela began rolling on the far outside.
Great Venezuela hit the front inside the sixteenth pole and jumped away to a two-length victory ahead of Talkin Tipsy in second with Bahamian Moon third in a final time of :55.75 on the firm turf. Visby was fourth followed by Beauty of the Sea, Florida-bred Sol Hope, Admiral Hopper, Florida-bred Musical Design, Bunny Hop, Sara Mia, Risk Threshold (Ire) and Drum Roll. Mendy’s Honey was scratched and Theodora Grace did not draw in off the list of also eligibles.
Great Venezuela banked $77,500 for the victory including $17,500 in Florida-bred bonus money presented by the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association. Talkin Tipsy earned $25,000, including $5,000 in Florida-bred bonuses while Bahamian Moon took down $2,500 in Florida-bred bonus money to increase her third-place check to $12,500.
Great Venezuela paid $6.20 to win.
“I’ve ridden her so many times, and she is a very smart filly who knows where the wire is,” Reyes said. “She has improved every race, so I stayed confident and she kept going. I think the short distance is better for [Great Venezuela].”
Barboza agreed.
“She runs very well every time at that distance, on turf and synthetic,” he said.
After Great Venezuela finished second to Florida-bred Ashima in the $75,000 Sunshine Filly and Mare turf going a mile at Gulfstream Park in her last race on Jan. 11, trainer Victor Barboza Jr. sent her against sprinters in the Lightning City.
The dependable Great Venezuela improved her career record to seven wins in 10 starts with two seconds and a third while earning $270,400 for owner and breeder Orlando Martinez in the name of his Orlyana Farm.
Her only third came as a 2-year-old in the $100,000 Wait A While won by Ozara (Ire) at Gulfstream Park after she broke her maiden in her second start against special weight company at Gulfstream. Great Venezuela was second in a $25,000 maiden claiming in her first out in September of 2023 and Barboza used that loss for maximum results throughout last year. She won four straight races against optional claiming fillies from April through November, three of which had starter allowance restrictions attached.
Great Venuzuela is out of Pat M’s Image, by Leroidesanimaux (Brz), and Great Venezuela is her only stakes winner from two starters, both winners.
Return to the February 22 issue of Wire to Wire
