Spring Venture coasts to easy Mazarine Stakes win

Heavily favored Spring Venture picked up another easy victory this Saturday at Woodbine when she coasted to an unchallenged win in the $200,000 Mazarine Stakes (gr. III) over the Polytrack.

Trained by Mark Casse, the daughter of Spring at Last has previously won two races over the Woodbine turf, breaking her maiden first time out and backing that up with a terrific victory in the Natalma Stakes (gr. II) over that same surface.

Making her Polytrack debut in the Mazarine, Spring Venture was ridden to victory by Patrick Husbands. Fourth early on behind a slow pace of :24.88 and :50.14, Spring Venture gradually moved up into second place and then settled there, biding her time as front-running Shenandoah Lady continued to carve out slow fractions. Turning into the homestretch, Husbands asked Spring Venture for run, and the filly responded under a mild hand ride to take command of the lead, drawing away easily to win the 1 1/16th miles race by 1 1/2 lengths in 1:46.74.

Seaneen Girl narrowly held off Every Way to finish second, while Shenandoah Lady, Anfield Park, and Jazzy Jane completed the order of finish.

Spring Venture is owned by Gary Barber and Stoneway Farm. It is very possible that the filly could start in a Breeders' Cup race, although which one -- the Juvenile Fillies or the Juvenile Fillies Turf -- remains open to question.

-Keelerman

SPRING VENTURE WINS THE NATALMA STAKES!

Spring Venture may have been 8-1 on the morning line, but by the time she entered the starting gate for the $250,000 Natalma Stakes (Can-II) at Woodbine this afternoon, she was the 2-1 favorite. And with Patrick Husbands aboard, she lived up to expectations, bursting clear in deep stretch to win the one-mile turf race by about 1 3/4 lengths.

Trained by Mark Casse, Spring Venture was content to settle into mid-pack place early on as Shenandoah Lady set a good pace of :23.37 and :47.40 seconds. Coconut Shrimp was right behind her in second, followed closely by Dancing for Glory, Sure Would, Fearless Jacq, and Rutherford Rd. Bwana Go Fast, Tiz Ro, Nancy O, Spring in the Air, Summer of Fun, Kitten's Dumplings, and Carmel Beauty were the early trailers.

Rounding the final turn, Shenandoah Lady continued to lead the way, but several fillies were putting in good runs on the outside, include the European shipper Fearless Jacq. In the meantime, Spring Venture was weaving her way through in between horses, and inside the eighth pole she burst clear of the field before gearing down late to win in decisive fashion, stopping the clock in 1:37.27 seconds.

Spring in the Air rallied well to finish second, while Nancy O edged out Kitten's Dumplings in a photo for third. Coconut Shrimp, Shenandoah Lady, Carmel Beauty, Tiz Ro, Dancing for Glory, Summer Fun, Rutherford Rd., Fearless Jacq, Sure Would, and Bwana Go Fast completed the order of finish.

-Keelerman