Venetian Way
| Venetian Way | |
|---|---|
| Sire | Royal Coinage |
| Grandsire | Eight Thirty |
| Dam | Firefly |
| Damsire | Papa Redbird |
| Sex | Stallion |
| Foaled | 1957 |
| Country | United States |
| Color | Chestnut |
| Breeder | John W. Greathouse |
| Owner | Sunny Blue Farm (Isaac Blumberg) |
| Trainer | Victor J. Sovinski |
| Rider | Bill Hartack |
| Record | 20: 7-4-3 |
| Earnings | $359,422 |
| Major wins | |
| Prairie State Stakes(1959) Washington Park Futurity Stakes(1959) Warren Wright Memorial Stakes (1960)
Triple Crown Racewins: | |
| Last updated on 2019-08-21 | |
Venetian Way(March 23, 1957 – October 17, 1964) was an AmericanThoroughbred racehorsebest known for winning the1960 Kentucky Derby.
Background
[edit]Venetian Way was a chestnut horse bred inKentuckyby John W. Greathouse.[1]He was purchased byChicago,Illinoisbusinessman Isaac Blumberg who raced him under thenom de courseof Sunny Blue Farm. Venetian Way was trained byVictor SovinskiofKankakee, Illinois.He was named after a street in Miami Beach.[2]
Racing career
[edit]At age two, Venetian Way made nine starts winning four times. Of his eleven starts at age three, he earned three more wins. Leading up to the 1960U.S. Triple Crownseries, Venetian Way ran second toBally Achein theFlorida Derby.He was sent off as the thirdparimutuel bettingchoice in the Kentucky Derby behind favoriteTompionand second choice, Bally Ache.
1960 Triple Crown
[edit]In the 1960 Kentucky Derby- the "drugstore Derby" - Venetian Way beat Bally Ache. Venetian Way was a sore horse who responded admirably to butazolidin, legal in Kentucky at the time. When Venetian Way ran in the Preakness two weeks later without the help of butazolidin (pain-killing drugs are not legal in Maryland), he did not finish in the money while the sound-legged Bally Ache won. The performance of Venetian Way with and without butazolidin and other similar cases convinced the Kentucky State Racing Commission that drugs were unfair to the horse and to the public.[3]
Ridden in the Kentucky Derby by futureU.S. Racing Hall of FamejockeyBill Hartack,Venetian Way remained within striking distance, then passed Bally Ache as they came around the final turn heading into the homestretch and won going away by 3½ lengths. In the ensuing1960 Preakness Stakes,Venetian Way finished fifth to winner Bally Ache. Trainer Vic Sovinski was unhappy with how Hartack was riding the colt while training for the Belmont, and he sacked him. Venetian Way ran second behindCeltic Ash,who was ridden by Hartack, in the longest of the Triple Crown races, the 1½ mileBelmont Stakes.[4]
Stud record
[edit]Retired tostudfor the 1961 season, Venetian Way was not successful as a sire.
In popular culture
[edit]- In theStephen Kingnovel11/22/63,Jake Epping, the novel's protagonist, claims his largest successful bet was on Venetian Way in the 1960 Kentucky Derby.[5]
Pedigree
[edit]| Sire Royal Coinage (USA) 1952 |
Eight Thirty(USA) 1936 |
Pilate | Friar Rock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Herodias | |||
| Dinner Time | High Time | ||
| Seaplane | |||
| Canina (USA) 1941 |
Bull Dog | Teddy | |
| Plucky Liege | |||
| Coronium | Pot Au Feu | ||
| Bird Call | |||
| Dam Firefly (USA) 1952 |
Papa Redbird (USA) 1945 |
Balladier | Black Toney |
| Blue Warbler | |||
| Taj Bibi | Sickle | ||
| Black Queen | |||
| Minstrelette (USA) 1933 |
Royal Minstrel | Tetratema | |
| Harpsichord | |||
| Bannerette | Pennant | ||
| Meetime (Family 4-m)[6] |
References
[edit]- ^ab"Venetian Way pedigree".equineline.com. 2012-05-08.Retrieved2012-07-20.
- ^Rees, Jennie (4 February 2015)."Derby countdown | Venetian Way, 1960".The Courier-Journal.Retrieved2018-01-25.
- ^Morgan, Jim (21 January 1970)."A horse is a horse, of course, of course".The Harvard Crimson.Retrieved2018-01-25.
- ^Chong, Kevin (2014)."The honest rider".Northern Dancer: The Legendary Horse That Inspired a Nation.Penguin Canada.ISBN9780143191933.
- ^King, Stephen (2016).11/22/63: A Novel.Simon and Schuster. p. 363.ISBN9781501120602.
- ^"Magnolia - Family 4-m".Thoroughbred Bloodlines.