Venetian Harbor, Gamine butt heads in Test Stakes

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – A good old-fashioned speed-versus-speed showdown is on tap in Saturday’s Grade 1, $300,000 Test Stakes when Gamine takes on Venetian Harbor in the seven-furlong event for 3-year-old fillies at Saratoga.

Gamine, a daughter of Into Mischief trained by Bob Baffert, finished first in all three of her starts – she was disqualified from first in an Oaklawn Park allowance for the finding of a banned substance – including an 18 3/4-length tour de force victory in the Grade 1 Acorn on June 20 at Belmont Park.

Venetian Harbor, a daughter of Munnings trained by Richard Baltas, has done her best work on the lead, winning a 6 1/2-furlong maiden race by 10 3/4 lengths and the Grade 2 Las Virgenes by 9 1/4 lengths, both at Santa Anita.

“Something’s got to give, right?” Baffert said Thursday.

In the Acorn, John Velazquez used Gamine’s speed to get out of the blocks from the rail, and she just dominated her six rivals, running a mile in 1:32.55 and earning a 110 Beyer Speed Figure.

“When they run that hard and fast you always wonder,” Baffert said earlier in the week. “I hope she didn’t top out or something. She looks terrific. She looks better now going into this race. She should run well.”

Baffert is using the Test as a way to get Gamine to the Kentucky Oaks on Sept. 4. Baffert said the Coaching Club American Oaks, a 1 1/8-mile race run here July 18, was too close to the Acorn given how fast Gamine ran that day. The Alabama, at 1 1/4 miles on Aug. 15, was not ideal either, he said.

Baffert said he’ll let Velazquez ride the Test as he sees fit.

“I think the break is very important,” he said. “She’s a good gate filly. Johnny, he’s ridden her before, so he knows her a little bit better.”

Venetian Harbor is turning back to one turn after runnerup finishes in both the Grade 3 Fantasy at Oaklawn and Grade 1 Ashland at Keeneland.

At one point, Baltas had considered running Venetian Harbor in the Acorn, but wasn’t enamored with how Venetian Harbor was training at Santa Anita. He moved her to San Luis Rey Downs, where she had trained earlier in her career, and Venetian Harbor bounced back.

“She likes a little firmer track,” Baltas said. “She gets over it better.”

Venetian Harbor may have a slight advantage in post position as she drew outside of

Gamine. Joel Rosario rides.

“If somebody goes crazy, I think she’ll sit,” Baltas said.

Wicked Whisper, who won the Grade 1 Frizette on the lead last October at Belmont, is another with speed in the Test. However, she was beaten 15 3/4 lengths by Four Graces in the Grade 3 Beaumont at Keeneland last out.

Perfect Alibi won the Grade 1 Spinaway here last summer. She was beaten 31 lengths by Gamine in the Acorn, her first start of the year.

Up in Smoke is 4 for 6 but has yet to face anything the caliber of Gamine or Venetian Harbor.

Mrs. Danvers, who makes her stakes debut, has the look of a filly who will try to make one run from off the pace.

The Test goes as race 10, immediately preceding the Runhappy Travers.

BARBARA D. LIVINGSTON Gamine, who in her last start won the Acorn Stakes by 18 3/4 lengths, trains Thursday at Saratoga.