Yaupon filly captures Saratoga’s Bouwerie S. in stakes debut

Venetta won her stakes debut Wednesday at Saratoga in the $200,000 Bouwerie S. to give the 3-year-old Yaupon filly her second win in three lifetime starts.

Yaupon is currently the leading Second-Crop sire of 2026 with over $2.5 million in progeny earnings and 11 stakes horses, led by Wood Memorial (G2) winner Albus.

Venetta, in post 1, was fourth at the break and edged up steadily down the backstretch to move into third. On the turn, Galinda and Hot Currency pulled away to put three lengths on Venetta just before turning for home. Racing down the center of the track, Venetta gained resolutely and passed Hot Currency inside the final sixteenth to win by 1 ¼-lengths.

“She’s got a lot of talent,” trainer Danny Gargan said of the winner. “I think she has more than we’ve seen, still. I think the further she goes, the better she’ll be. A lot of people want to criticize Yaupons going long, but this one wants to go long and she is a big, strong filly.”

Owned and bred by Sequel Racing, Venetta only loss was a second-place finish when severely blocked in her March 27 debut. Out of Gypsy Angel, Venetta is a half-sister to three-time stakes winner Mrs. Orb.