Antonio of Venice gets up in time to win Saturday’s $500,000 NYSS Great White Way at Aqueduct. NYRA Photo.
Antonio of Venice made the lead early in his second try at stakes company last time out and couldn’t last. The son of Laoban and jockey Manny Franco – aboard for that run in the Aspirant at Finger Lakes – employed different tactics in Saturday’s $500,000 Great White Way division of the New York Stallion Series Stakes and came away with a improved result.
Antonio of Venice came from off the pace in the 7-furlong Great White Way and overcame a rough trip to land his first stakes victory for owners Michael Imperio, Robert Cotrone, Hibiscus Stables and Rudy Rodriguez. Rodriguez trains the New York-bred colt out of the Trappe Shot mare Stella Performance and also came away with the runner-up in the Great White Way after a lengthy steward’s inquiry with the Solomini colt and first-time starter Heavyweight Champs.
“It’s one of the bucket list things that we got 1-2 in the $500,000 race,” Rodriguez said. “That’s what we work so hard for. All the credit goes to the help in the barn, they do an amazing job. The grooms, the hotwalkers, my assistants – we have a very good team. I’m so happy to be around in the mornings with them. We have a lot of laughs, a lot of cries, but I’m just so happy to see this happen to us.”
Some of the connections of Antonio of Venice’s beaten foes might have felt a few lumps in their throats after Saturday’s co-feature.
Heavyweight Champs took the lead shortly after the break, just ahead of Solo’s Fury with The Big Torpedo and Antonio of Venice tracking just behind through the opening quarter-mile in :22.49. Heavyweight Champs still led by a half-length from Solo’s Fury around the far turn and to the half in :45.78.
As the field passed the quarter-pole with Heavyweight Champs clinging to his short lead, Brick Ambush made his run about four paths off the fence and Antonio of Venice did the same up the inside. Solo’s Fury and The Big Torpedo wound up squeezed between those Brick Ambush and Antonio of Venice just before straightening for home, dropping a few lengths back.
Brick Ambush came alongside Heavyweight Champs at about the 3/16ths pole, while Franco guided Antonio of Venice toward the middle of the track. Brick Ambush’s lead at the eighth pole didn’t last long, as Antonio of Venice rolled past at the sixteenth pole on the way to a three-quarter-length win. Brick Ambush held second at the finish, 1 ½ lengths ahead of Heavyweight Champs with The Big Torpedo running on well despite his trouble to finish another length back in fourth. Antonio of Venice finished in 1:24.40.
Antonio of Venice and some his team head to the winner’s circle Saturday at Aqueduct. Susie Raisher/NYRA Photo.
Stewards took a long look at the incident at the top of the lane and eventually disqualified Brick Ambush to 12th and last, a spot behind Solo’s Fury.
“I held my spot inside [at the top of the lane] and the pressure was coming from outside,” Franco said. “I was just trying to hold my spot because [Brick Ambush] is coming, so I knew when he comes I’m going to go around him. I held my spot there.”
Antonio of Venice, fourth in the Aspirant and sixth in the off-the-turf Skidmore Stakes against open company two starts back, improved to 2-1-1 in six starts and boosted his bankroll to $350,744 winning the co-richest race for 2-year-olds on the NYRA circuit.
“He [Antonio of Venice] ran unbelievable,” Rodriguez said. “I’m just very, very happy with the way he was. He got pinched right away out of there. I thought he was going to be close to the lead and then he got pinched pretty hard. The other horse [Heavyweight Champs] went, so I was just rooting for any of my horses. I saw him coming up the outside and thought, ‘Oh, it’s the other one!’ We’re very excited and very happy with the way they ran.
“Maybe he wants to run from behind. He got a lot of kickback along the rail and then was able to come outside. I don’t know [what’s next]. These guys want to bet him in the pool for the Derby.”
Bred by Cypress Creek Equine LLC, Antonio of Venice sold for $35,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sale and for the same price at this year’s OBS March sale. Antonio of Venice is the third foal out of Stella Performance, who also produced winning full siblings to the Great White Way winner in New York-breds Modern Midas and I’m Wide Awake. Stella Performance also produced a weanling colt by McKinzie foaled February 25 in New York.
