Venus de Milo Now Possible for Beverly D

According to the International Racing Bureau and Ballydoyle representatives, Venus de Milo - a two-time Group III winner and four-time Group I-placed 4-year-old - is now possible for the Grade I $750,000 Beverly D. on Aug. 16.  The daughter of Duke of Marmalade was third last out in the Group I Nassau Stakes on Aug. 2 at Goodwood, one race after an impressive runner-up finish to the highly rated and recently retired Thistle Bird in the Group I Pretty Polly Stakes on June 29 at The Curragh.

Both of the aforementioned races were at 1¼ miles - a sixteenth of a mile farther than that of the Beverly D. and opened up a new option for the filly who had previously raced at 1½ miles or farther in six consecutive races, including a second to The Fugue in last year’s Group I Yorkshire Oaks.  According to officials, Venus de Milo will only make the trip in if her connections decide to pass on the race with stablemate Palace.

EUROPEAN IMPORTS DAZZLING AND TERRIFIC POSSIBLE FOR HATOOF

Two fashionably bred daughters of Galileo have been privately purchased from the Coolmore conglomerate and placed in the care of Arlington-based conditioner Tom Proctor with an eye on local stakes for new owner Elevage Bloodstock - a partnership of Glen Hill Farm and Hill ‘n Dale Farm.  The two fillies will be considered for the $75,000 Hatoof Stakes on the Arlington Million undercard, if all goes well.

Dazzling, a winner of the Listed Salsabil Stakes at Navan in April and recently second to four-time Group I-placed filly Venus de Milo in the Group III Munster Oaks Stakes at Cork on June 15, sold for over $1.5 million as a yearling at the Tattersalls October sale in 2012.  She is a full sister to 2011 Group I Irish 2,000 Guineas winner Roderic O’Connor.

Terrific, who was third to Dazzling in the Salsabil four races back, has finished off the board in her last three starts - but has faced the likes of Group I Irish Oaks winner Bracelet and Grade I Beverly D. hopeful Palace.  Terrific cost nearly $2.2 million at the same auction as Dazzling as a yearling and is a full sister to Together, who won the Grade I Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup in 2011 for Coolmore and Dazzling and Terrific’s previous trainer, Aiden O’Brien.

While Dazzling has yet to work, Terrific turned in her first move for her new connections - a four-furlong breeze on the Arlington International Racecourse turf in a leisurely :52 flat on Monday morning.  “If they come around, either or both can run (in the Hatoof),” Glen Hill Farm president Craig Bernick reported.