BY BROCK SHERIDAN
Orlyana Farm’s homebred Great Venezuela, who has dominated her rivals through most her career while winning six of eight career races with a second and a third, looks for her first career stakes victory Saturday in the $75,000 Sunshine Filly and Mare Turf at Gulfstream Park. The 4-year-old filly trained by Victor Barboza Jr. is the 8-5 morning line favorite against seven other Florida-bred fillies and mares, 4-years-old and older, who will go a mile on the grass.
It has been more than a year since Great Venezuela suffered her last defeat when finishing third, a length shy of winner Ozara (Ire), in the $100,000 Wait A While on the turf at Gulfstream in December of 2023, and has since rattled off four straight victories, all at Gulfstream.
She started 2024 with an 11-length victory in a $25,000 optional claiming starter allowance in April then won a $50,000 optional claiming starter allowance in June, both going five-and-a-half furlongs on the Gulfstream Park synthetic course. She had a four-month break before returning to win an upper level, $75,000 optional claiming going five furlongs on the grass before winning a $35,000 optional claiming starter allowance at five furlongs on the all-weather course last out on Nov. 22.
An earner of $178,200, Great Venezuela is by Pleasant Acres Stallions’ Neolithic out Pat M’s Image, by Leroidesanimaux (Brz).
Leonel Reyes has been aboard the chestnut filly in her last seven starts and returns to ride from the outside post eight.
Love Mami Love also rides a winning streak into Saturday having won her last two for Ten Twenty Racing, who co-owns the 5-year-old mare with trainer Saffie Joseph Jr.
The second choice on the morning line at 7-2, Love Mami Love won a $25,000 claiming on Oct. 25 then took a $35,000 optional claiming starter allowance in her last start, both times winning by a half-length going a mile on the Gulfstream turf.
Also in search of her first black-type credentials, Love Mami Love relishes the Gulfstream Park turf course having finished in the money in nine of 10 starts while winning four there during her career.
An earner of $152,100, Love Mami Love was a bargain purchase as 2-year-old when Jefrey Silvestre got her for $3,600 out of the Raptor Thoroughbreds consignment at the 2022 Ocala Breeders’ Sales June Sale. She has since won four with five seconds and three thirds in 17 career starts.
Love Mami Love is by Cordon out of Arrow of Love, by Northern Afleet and was bred in Florida by Glockenburg LLC.
Tyler Gaffalione will ride Love Mami Love from post one.
Rodney G. Lundock’s homebred Maryquitecontrary is the most accomplished entrant as a graded stakes-winner of $703,942.
Trainer Eddie Plesa Jr. is hoping the 6-year-old mare can rebound from a disappointing seventh behind winner Sand and Sea in the $100,000 Key West overnight handicap going nine furlongs on the synthetic course at Gulfstream on Dec. 29.
Just prior the Key West, Maryquitecontrary finished in a dead for second with Sand and Sea in the $75,000 Daring Kathy overnight handicap won by No Valla going a mile-and-70-yards in her first lifetime start on synthetic on Nov. 17 at Gulfstream.
By Double Diamond Farm stallion First Dude out of Mary Kate ‘n Kelly, by Mecke, Maryquitecontrary has won seven with five seconds and three thirds in 20 career starts.
Edgard Zayas will ride from post two and they are 6-1 on the morning line.
Rounding out the field are Princess Bettina with John Velazquez aboard, Beach Ready and jockey Drayden Van Dyke, Parallel with Luis Saez in the saddle, Emisael Jaramillo rides Ashima and Javier Castellano takes the call on My Sunny Valentine.
