I Said Diamonds (Matt Kakaley, $7) went up and over labouring lasses Friday night (June 16th), winning -- at first seasonal purse asking -- Yonkers Raceway’s $55,000 Filly and Mare Open Handicap Pace.
This was the first local live program since a May 28 matinee and debuted the new start/finish line, which shortened the stretch by some 105 feet (660 to 555 feet).
Unhurried from post position No. 4, I Said Diamonds settled sixth as Northfield expat Beyonces Rockn (Jason Bartlett) made short work of an assigned eight-hole. That one made the lead after paying a 27-second, opening-quarter price for the privilege.
The newbie was not in a giving mood, hanging Petticoat Series winner Cousin Mary (Jordan Stratton) in her attempt for the lead. A :55.1 intermission over a ‘good’ surface that had taken on some water put the closers in play.
Down the backside, Lispatty (Mark MacDonald), as the 3-2 choice, went three-deep, but I Said Diamonds went deeper and much faster. The latter grabbed the lead passing a 1:24.1 three-quarters, then widened.
She opened three and a half lengths off the final turn, whipping Lispatty by four and a quarter lengths in 1:53.2. Hidden Land (Brian Sears), Delightful Dragon (Brent Holland) and Freeze Out (George Brennan) settled for the minor moolah.
For second choice I Said Diamonds, a now-four-year-old daughter of Well Said owned by A Piece of the Action Stable and trained by Matias Ruiz, she entered off a six-win, $304,000 season as a sophomore. The exacta paid $27.60, the triple returned $142.50 and the superfecta paid $400.50.
Holland won a race, moving him to within four of the 5,000-win plateau (that would be 4,996 for those of you keeping score of such things).
A friendly reminder from Yonkers Raceway that Saturday evening’s (June 17) Pick 5 wager starts with a carryover of $1,845.99.
The Pick 5 is a 50-cent base wager comprising races seven through 11 during every racing card. It has no consolation payoff, meaning if no one selects all five winners (as was the case Friday night), the entire pool (minus takeout) moves to the next racing program.
(Yonkers Raceway)