The Diana (Grade 1)- $500.000 Purse
SAR- For Fillies and Mares Three Years Old and Upward
One Mile and One Eighth on the Turf
July 23, 2016
It is now post time! Another amazing season is set to start at beautiful Saratoga Race Course. It is always an honor for me to report from this race track, as it is, after all, my home track. The excitement wastes no time to begin with the fantastic two year old races that take place this weekend, and then for the races such as the Diana, which brings some of the best female turf horses in the game to upstate New York. This will be the 12th running of the Diana in our virtual world, and has had two repeat winners in its history. The first to do it was Miz Liz, who won in 2009 and 2010 as she finished just a bit shy of $3,000.000 in career earnings. She would run in 2011 as well, but placed fifth. Little did we know then that the winner that year, A Little Oblivion was going to accomplish the same fate and win the race in 2011 and 2012. She would win just over $4,000.000 during her career. Also on the past winner board is Darling Harbour, an Australia Wide legend who won over $6,000.000 in her career. Last year, the race was won by Nolespan Racing’s Girl Talk, and it was the first time that a three year old has won this race. This year, half of the six in the field are three years old, and they will attempt to defeat the likes of the mighty Attraction, who is just a tick under $4,000.000 in career earnings and still going strong. Let us meet her, and the five others ready to run!
#1- Attraction (Mm Racing, ridden by J J Castellano)- Truly one of the best female race horses in the game and she sets out to win at SAR for the first time in her career. Perhaps the track lived up to its “Graveyard Of Favorites” reputation when she was defeated by the three year old Girl Talk in last year’s Diana. That was the first and so far, the only, time that she has come to this race track, and a second place run in the Diana is nothing to be ashamed of. Certainly her resume puts her right on par with those who have won the race a couple times, and there’s no denying that her name belongs in that company. The accolades of the former BC Champion are strong, but they are still continuing to accumulate. She has won four of her last seven races, and in the three she didn’t win, she was second. Just a few months ago, she was victorious in the Grade 1 Wiley down at KEE. There are no knocks on her. No reason to be concerned about her in anyway. She will be the favorite. She will be my pick. But then, there’s that reputation this track has.
#2- Rose Of Glamorgan (Hawaiian Shirt Guy, ridden by R J Albarado)- In 2015, the Beauty King filly did many great things, including a win in the Grade 1 Beverly D at AP around this time last year, and Attraction was one of those that she beat. She was able to get to the BC Fillies and Mares Turf as well last fall, but things have been slow for her this year. Rose Of Glamorgan had a long layoff of five months before appearing in an allowance and being a non-factor. A month later, she was in a $40.000 claimer, and Hawaiian Shirt Guy won the shake to get her from Blushing Meadows. So, the fair question is, why has she dropped down so much? Has Hawaiian Shirt Guy figured it out and solved it?
#3- Dragonville (Drabfantasy, ridden by R Bejarano)- One of the three year olds in this race, Dragonville has picked up a couple of Grade 3 wins this year, coming in the Herecomesthebride Stakes at GP, and Providencia Stakes at SA. More recently, she has a couple of close calls in a pair of Grade 1’s. One of those was indeed, very recently. To the tune of just two weeks ago. Dragonville was down at BEL on the 9th, and placed 2nd in the 10-furlong BEL Oaks while running against only other threes. After this, it will be 19 furlongs in two weeks. She may run well here today, but no matter what, it’s likely she will need some rest after.
#4- Eastern Sweetness (Mb Stables, ridden by F Pennington)- This filly by Really Sweet hasn’t done a whole lot yet, with just $45.480 in career earnings over eight races, most of which came in her last start, which was her debut for Mb Stables. He made some adjustments with adds, and Eastern Sweetness defeated four others in an allowance at CD last month. Mb purchased her in private sales from Rheingold Stables for $65.000, and the amount of improvement that she showed in that race was stunning. Will it translate into winning the Diana? It really seems like this is a lot to ask, but we all know you never count out this trainer.
#5- Vertigineux (D J C Racing Stables, ridden by J R Velazquez)- I have covered a few of her races now, and quite frankly, I don’t know what to expect from her. One race, you forgive her because she seems to have all the excuses in the world for why she didn’t perform well, so you expect her to come up big in her next time out. Then, in that race, she has no excuses for a disappointing run. After trying the main track, she was back on the turf in her last race, and looked real good in a second place run at the Grade 2 NY at BEL. A recent trend might suggest that she is best while running at or near the lead, so that is something to watch. Vertigineux is a talented racehorse, but she needs to string a couple good ones back to back. This would be a great place to start that, after the NY.
#6- Lucky You (Rouge River Stables, ridden by D Moran)- Much like Eastern Sweetness, Lucky You is a filly that really hasn’t done all that much in her career so far. She would win one time in five starts with Power Racing, and most of those races were with a claiming tag, including once for $8.500. Given the lack of accomplishments, Rouge River Stables made a bit of a gamble in purchasing her for $80.000 in private sales. Clearly, she saw something in her, and in Lucky You’s debut in her new silks, she went long on turf for the first time at GG and impressively came from out of nowhere in the stretch to win the race. That race was nice, and the improvement she is showing with Rouge River also looks good, but this is the Diana. Three year olds have been eating up older horses all year, and the six pound weight allowance for all the threes is a big thing. I would not be surprised if this race sets up nicely for her in the stretch. One to watch.
Prediction: 1-5-2-6
— NS
Categories: Grade I, STAKES ARTICLES
