A weekend workout by Dr. Venkman will determine whether the 5-year-old gelding will race before the Breeders’ Cup at Del Mar on Nov. 1.
Trainer Mark Glatt said on Wednesday that Dr. Venkman may start in the Grade 2 Santa Anita Sprint Championship at six furlongs on Sept. 28. Dr. Venkman earned a fees-paid berth to the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile with a win in his last race, the Grade 2 Pat O’Brien Stakes at seven furlongs at Del Mar on Aug. 23. The BC Sprint at six furlongs is another option, Glatt said.
“He could possibly run in the Sprint Championship, but more likely we’ll wait for the Breeders’ Cup,” Glatt said.
“I’ll judge his workout this weekend and decide whether to run him here or train up to the Breeders’ Cup.”
As for a Breeders’ Cup target, Glatt said that decision could be weeks away, pending potential fields.
“It boils down to see how the races are coming up,” he said.
A winner of 4 of 10 starts, Dr. Venkman has won at distances ranging from 6 1/2 furlongs to 1 1/16 miles, in the Grade 2 San Diego Handicap at Del Mar in July 2024.
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Dr. Venkman races for the partnership of Alipony Racing, Dan Agnew, Clint Bunch, and James Hailey.
The Glatt-trained Ultimate Gamble, third at 71-1 in his stakes debut in the Grade 1 Pacific Classic at Del Mar on Aug. 30, is set to start in the Grade 1 Goodwood Stakes at 1 1/8 miles at Santa Anita on Sept. 27, Glatt said.
The winner of the $300,000 Goodwood Stakes receives a fees-paid berth to the BC Classic at 1 1/4 miles at Del Mar on Nov. 1.
Ultimate Gamble, a winner of 3 of 10 starts, finished 9 3/4 lengths behind BC Classic prospect Fierceness in the $1 million Pacific Classic at 1 1/4 miles.
The Goodwood Stakes is one of five stakes on the first Saturday of the Santa Anita autumn meeting, which begins on Sept. 26. The current Los Alamitos September meeting ends on Sunday.
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