Giuliana Vee broke her maiden at Penn National in race 3 on July 8 in her 9^th lifetime start.  This filly showed lots of heart in a very exciting race, as succinctly stated in the chart: “GV rallied the four path around the turn, closed a gap from the outside in deep stretch and was up in time.”  Winning by a neck. (See win photo below).  Giuliana Vee has matured nicely in her 3 year-old season, finishing in-the-money (ITM) 3 times in 5 starts including this maiden win - all under trainer Mark Salvaggio.

Kenwood Racing purchased this Into Mischief filly at the 2019 March OBS sale for a bargain $40k.  So unsurprisingly, there was a huge demand for this group (#51) and it sold out immediately.  Co-owner Mike Perullo, who purchased one of the shares, was also selected to name this beautiful 2 year-old filly.  He did just that and took it to the next level as he shares the real life story behind her name…..see below by Mike Perullo.

Giuliana was born to friends of mine on September 7^th, 2006. She was a bubbly little girl with a great personality and a winning smile. She had a certain playfulness, wittiness, and dare I say, sass about her.

At age 3, she was diagnosed with cancer. After a surgery to remove the tumor, the cancer returned two years later, this time to the brain. Family, friends and the community rallied to support Giuliana and her family. For years, ‘Fight Like a Girl’ was Giuliana’s motto throughout her chemotherapy sessions and her many surgeries.  Unfortunately, after three years of fighting, Giuliana, 8 years old, received her angel’s wings on November 5, 2014.

So, when I had the opportunity to name a horse, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I was going to name the horse in honor and memory of Giuliana. And I knew exactly what name I was going to choose, ‘Fight Like a Girl’. So without the family knowing, I submitted the name, ‘Fight Like a Girl’, to The Jockey Club, which was rejected, because that name was too similar to another horse’s name.

So, with my first name unavailable, I let the family know about my plans. After careful consideration, they came up with ‘Giuliana Vee’. We have watched her at morning training sessions, visited her at the farm, and now have seen her win her first race. It has been a very exciting and fun filled journey, and I can’t think of a better way to keep her memory alive. ~ Mike Perullo

Mike and his daughter Michelle, faithfully made trips to Penn National and Laurel Park to see her race.

Team Giuliana shown here wearing the T-shirts displaying the “Fight Like a Girl” motto.

Mike Perullo (left) pays a visit to the barn.

Giuliana Vee the “filly with a lot of heart” is a special horse to the Kenwood Racing family.  Beyond the track, it’s the human connection associated with her given name along with the motto “Fight Like a Girl” that carries a much deeper emotional meaning, as we all reflect on this touching story about a very special girl named Giuliana.