Pink Venom ships in for $175K Stewart Manor

Team Valor International’s Pink Venom ships in from her native Ireland on a three race win streak heading into Saturday’s $175,000 Stewart Manor, a six-furlong inner turf sprint for juvenile fillies, at Belmont Park. 

Trained by the five-time Irish Champion Jockey Johnny Murtagh, Pink Venom enters from a victory over males in the straight six-furlong Birdcatcher Nursery on October 10 at Naas. The Soldier’s Call bay, with Ben Coen up, rallied to win by 2 3/4 lengths while carrying 136 pounds. 

“She’s on the improve,” Murtagh said. “She’s improving all the time, so we are happy with her. I look forward to seeing her run.” 

Pink Venom previously won six-furlong handicaps on September 21 at Fairyhouse and eight days later at Cork, the former going right hand-handed and the latter on the straight. 

“That was a big effort last time and she is improving every run. We are hoping she can take the next step up to stakes company,” Murtagh said. “I think she’ll enjoy the bend.”

Pink Venom was off-the-board in her seven-furlong debut traveling left-handed in June at Leopardstown ahead of thirds going six furlongs at Fairyhouse and Naas. She was privately purchased by Team Valor after her last effort and will be transferred to trainer Amelia Green for a stateside campaign following the Stewart Manor. 

“Barry Irwin bought her, she’s going to stay in the states. He was keen to run her off the plane and I thought this race would suit her really, really well,” said Murtagh. 

Pink Venom [post 6, Jamie Spencer], originally a $99,683 purchase from Book 1 of the 2025 Goffs Orby Yearling Sale, is a half-sister to Listed stakes-winner Rebel Diamond out of the Teofilo mare Periwinkle. Her second dam is Listed stakes-winner Royal Blue Star. 

Brickyard Belle Racing, Beggs and Flowers and Briles Family Stable’s Brickyard Belle [post 5, Manny Franco] wheels back from an 11th place finish versus males in the 5 1/2-furlong Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint on October 30 at Keeneland. 

Trained by Miguel Clement, the Yaupon dark bay went off as the second choice in the international 12-horse field following a half-length score in the Grade 3 Matron over Saturday’s course and distance on October 3. She graduated on debut on August 27 at Saratoga Race Course. 

“It’s very simple: she’s doing great and she did no running at the Breeders’ Cup, which I’m convinced was due to the ground,” Clement said. “I don’t think she traveled at any stage of the race. In the middle, she spun her wheels, late she had no turn of foot, every stage of the race, she was struggling. I don’t think she suited that track whatsoever.” 

Brickyard Belle’s Matron victory earned a career and field-best 90 Beyer Speed Figure. 

“I’m convinced the firmer the ground, the better,” Clement said. “I think it was a little bit loose at Keeneland. She trained very well, was 2-for-2, and I was very disappointed with that last start. I’m convinced it was the ground, but there is only one way to find out. My only reservation about running her back off short rest is the ground, because there’s more rain in the forecast next week.”

Brickyard Belle, a $600,000 purchase at the OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training, is a half-sister to graded stakes-winning turf sprinter Joe Shiesty and is out of the winning More Than Ready mare Ready to Unleash.

FMQ Stables’ Zomoroda [post 7, Samuel Marin] earned an 80 Beyer for a six-furlong debut graduation over the Tapeta on October 11 here. Trained by dual Eclipse Award-winner Brad Cox, the Corniche dark bay stalked three-wide and pounced to a one-length victory. The $335,000 purchase from the OBS Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training is out of the Grade 2-placed Overanalyze mare Over Emphasize. 

“She broke her maiden on the synthetic and we’ll see,” said Cox. “I do think she’ll handle the surface there on the turf. She’s trained well since and seems like an honest filly. She lacks a little seasoning with just the one start, but she was impressive and stayed on well. We’re looking forward to giving her a shot to pick up some black type this weekend.”

Hat Creek Racing’s Fanshell Beach [post 9, Antonio Fresu] closed from eight lengths back in 8th-of-9 to land a one-length fifth versus males in the 5 1/2-furlong Grade 3 Indian Summer on October 4 at Keeneland. Trained by Wesley Ward, the Corniche chestnut previously beat the boys in the Riverside Rush in August at Ellis Park after a fifth in the Group 2 Norfolk at Royal Ascot. 

Fanshell Beach defeated now Grade 1-placed colt Booked in her 4 1/2-furlong debut in April at Churchill Downs. She was an $80,000 purchase at the 2025 Keeneland September Yearling Sale and is out of the multiple stakes-winning Unusual Heat mare Pacific Heat, and her second dam is dual stakes-winner Hotlantic.

Lea Farms’ New York-bred Legacy Lady [post 8, Edgard Zayas] was second last out in the local state-bred 6 1/2-furlong Joseph A. Gimma on October 2. Trained by Jorge Delgado, the Highly Motivated bay was beaten 2 3/4 lengths by Extravaganzoo, who exited to dominate the Key Cents on Halloween here.

Legacy Lady graduated second-out when making her turf debut sprinting five furlongs in July at Monmouth Park before a fourth versus males in the 5 1/2-furlong Skidmore on August 27 at the Spa. Bred by Stephanie Baltzan, she was a $135,000 purchase from the OBS March Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training and is out of the Buratino mare Queen of Lies, a half-sister to dual Grade 3-placed Agency.

A robust field includes dual group-placed Yuquot [post 4, Flavien Prat] for trainer Joe Sharp; Bittersweet Memory [post 10, Kendrick Carmouche] for conditioner Kelsey Danner; Queen Celine [post 12, Dylan Davis] for trainer Butch Reid, Jr.; Battle Queen [post 11, Leonardo Corujo] for trainer Orlando Rose; Winchester Road [post 1, Javier Castellano] for dual Hall of Famer Mark Casse; Scabiosa [post 2, Jomar Torres] for trainer Hugo Padilla; and Sun Valley [post 3, Jose Lezcano] for conditioner Michael Matz. 

The Stewart Manor is slated as Race 9 on Saturday’s 10-race card, which also features the $175,000 Awad in Race 8. First post is 11:40 a.m. Eastern. 

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