Vive Veuve Seeks Return to Winning Form in Friday’s Cellars Shiraz

Multiple Graded Stakes-Placed Filly Favored in Gulfstream Return

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Sterling Stables LLC’s Vive Veuve was last seen at Gulfstream Park crossing the finish line three-quarters of a length on top to capture her first stakes victory in the Sanibel Island on the March 30 Curlin Florida Derby (G1) undercard.

Following a subsequent trio of third place finishes in graded stakes, the daughter of Collected will make her return to action at Gulfstream in Friday’s $95,000 Cellars Shiraz, a 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-old fillies. The Jack Sisterson trainee has been installed as the 9-5 morning-line favorite in a field of 12 (plus two also-eligibles) in the headliner of a 10-race program that will get underway at 12 Noon.

Vive Veuve raced three times at Gulfstream after being imported from Ireland in the Fall of 2023. She came up a little short after taking the lead in the stretch in her U.S. debut, finishing third in a mile-and-70-yard maiden special weight race on Tapeta Nov. 23, last November. She came back during the Championship Meet to graduate Feb. 11, closing from well off the pace to prevail by a head over next-out winner Royal Wintour going a mile on turf.

Making a jump directly into stakes competition in the 7 ½-furlong Sanibel Island on turf, Vive Veuve split horses late to win by three-quarters of a length, winning ‘handily’ according to the chart caller.

“She was 2-for-2 on turf there. We thought she was enough to go up north after the Championship Meet, which she did. She competed very well,” Sisterson said. “We’re just trying now to get her back on winning ways. She’s been consistent but she hasn’t won since she won at Gulfstream.”

Vive Veuve weakened late to finish third in the 1 1/8-mile Wonder Again (G2) at Aqueduct May 27 before finishing third, beaten a length, following a wide rally in the mile Lake George (G3) July 20 at Saratoga. In her most recent start in the 6 ½-furlong Music City (G2) at Kentucky Downs Sept. 7, she rallied mildly to finish third, beaten 1 ¼ lengths.

“When she ran the mile and an eighth at Aqueduct, she kind of loomed up like she was going to go on by. She probably just flattened out at the distance, a mile and an eighth. She ran a very good race in Saratoga, probably didn’t get a good trip. She had to go extremely wide and gave up quite a bit of ground, but she came on and finished well,” Sisterson said. “And, again, at Kentucky Downs, she probably didn’t get the cleanest trip.”

Drayden Van Dyke has been named to ride Vive Veuve, who will break from the far-outside Post 12 in the Cellars Shiraz.

Orlyana Farm’s Majestic Venezuela has brought her race every time she’s gone to the starting gate, but the daughter of Mendelssohn’s best races have come when she’s had the opportunity to run on turf.

While trainer Victor Barboza Jr. is confident Majestic Venezuela will once again bring her race to the Cellars Shiraz, he is just hoping that the stakes will be run on turf as scheduled and not transferred to Tapeta.

Majestic Venezuela, who has compiled a record of three wins, five seconds and a third in nine career starts, is 2-for-2 on turf.

“She’s a very consistent filly. She’s never lost on the turf,” Barboza said. “The mile and a sixteenth is a very good distance for me. The post position 4 is a very good position. The other filly (Vive Veuve) is outside. My filly’s breezes the past two weeks have been perfect.”

Majestic Venezuela is rated second on the morning-line at 3-1.

Leonel Reyes, who rode Majestic Venezuela to back-to-back optional claiming allowance wins on Tapeta and turf last spring, returns aboard the Barboza trainee Saturday.

Magic Stables LLC and Cairoli Racing’s De Regreso returns to Gulfstream Park for the Cellars Shiraz after being eased in her most recent start in the Aug. 17 Lake Placid (G2) at Saratoga.

“She had a little problem, but everything is good with her now,” trainer Antonio Sano said. “She is training very good for this race.”

De Regreso shipped to Saratoga on a three-race winning streak that included a pair of stakes victories at Gulfstream. After dead-heating for an optional claiming allowance win, the daughter of Audible broke through with her first stakes score in the May 4 Honey Ryder at a mile on turf. She came right back on Tapeta to win the June 8 Martha Washington a month later, finishing 2 ¾ lengths clear of runner-up Majestic Venezuela. After shipping to Saratoga, De Regreso finish sixth in the Lake George (G3) before her poor showing in the Late Placid.

Edgard Zayas has the call on De Regreso.

Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher will be represented by Rober and Lawana Low’s Lady Madonna in the Cellars Shiraz. The daughter of War Front, a $575,000 purchase at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale, finished fifth in the Sept. 14 Jockey Club Oaks Invitational (G3) at Aqueduct. In her prior start at Monmouth, she rallied late to win a 1 1/16-mile optional claiming allowance. Joe Bravo, who was aboard for the Monmouth win, has the call.

De Regreso and Lady Madonna are both rated at 8-1 on the morning line.

Skymac Stables LLC and Stefania Farms’ Show Off, Peter Mattson’s Retired Kathy, Golden Kernal Racing Stable’s Lady Cha Cha, NSV Racing Inc.’s Simply Striking, Copper Thoroughbreds’ She Prospers, Mathis Stables LLC’s Mohave Desert, DJ Stable LLC’s Sleepwalker, Miller Racing Inc.’s In Our Time round out the main body of field. Avalon Racing Stables’ Justified Strategy and Hayward Pressman’s Sizzle are also-eligibles.