Pleasant Acres stallions provide holiday fireworks

Runners by Treasure Beach and Handsome Mike joined in the July 4th celebration with impressive performances, the former getting his first 2-year-old winner of 2019, and the latter getting his 13th winner in his second crop.

Venerate, a gelding making his first career start racing five furlongs at Gulfstream Park, left from the rail with Luca Panici and sat fourth through the first quarter, which went in :21.81. Panici moved him up on the inside on the turn, then sent him between two rivals and Venerate responded with a strong run through the stretch to score by two lengths in :58.04. The gelding bred by Adam and Suzette Parker and Leverett and Linda Miller earned a check for $26,400 and is Treasure Beach’s 24th winner.

At Evangeline Downs, Handsome Girl’s victory was accomplished much like Venerate’s, only at a distance of 7 1/2 furlongs on the grass. The 3-year-old filly bred by Ponder Hill trailed the field in seventh place down the backstretch, quickly closed a five-length gap on the turn, came between horses at the top of the stretch and blew by the leaders passing the eighth pole to win going away. She paid $6.60 and collected a check for $6,900.