Grade II winner Ventana has been retired from racing and will enter stud in 2012 at Gayle Gerth’s Dana Point Farm in Lenhartsville, Pa. Six-year-old Ventana is by Toccet out of the winning Polish Numbers mare Full Figure and is from the family of champion Lord Avie. A fee will be announced later.
A $410,000 Barretts March sale 2-year-old, Ventana won the 2010 Potrero Grande Handicap (gr. II) and last year’s Maryland Sprint Handicap (gr. III). He placed in four graded stakes including the Palos Verdes Handicap (gr. II), the San Carlos Handicap (gr. II), and this year’s Potrero Grande. During his career, he won or placed in 12 of 21 starts and earned $383,106.
“Ventana was a good horse, a big strapping beautiful horse with California speed that could win at the top level,” said trainer Bob Baffert. “He competed at the graded stakes level from ages 2 through 5 and was competitive and sound throughout.”
Owners Karl Watson, Paul Weitman, and Mike Pegram will partner with Dana Point and are looking forward to the horse’s success in the Pennsylvania breeding program.
Toccet, by Awesome Again , formerly stood at Dana Point.