2021 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf: Diamond Wow presses ahead after tough beat
Diamond Wow lost a very expensive photo when she finished second by a head in the Grade 2 Jessamine Stakes on turf on Oct. 13 at Keeneland.
California Angel rallied late to win narrowly, earning $120,000 of the $200,000 purse. Diamond Wow earned $40,000. Of that second-place prize money, $30,000 will be devoted to pre-entry and an entry fee to put Diamond Wow in the gate for the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on Nov. 5 at Del Mar.
“We were happy with the race,” trainer and co-owner Patrick Biancone reflected Wednesday. “We wish her head was a little longer.
“What can we do? Sometimes you win a race by a head, and sometimes you lose a race by a head.”
California Angel will have no fees for the Juvenile Fillies Turf since the winner of the Jessamine received a fees-paid berth.
Diamond Wow, by Lookin At Lucky, was beaten for the first time in her three-race career in the Jessamine. At Gulfstream Park, Diamond Wow won a maiden special weight race at five furlongs on turf on Aug. 28 and the Our Dear Peggy Stakes at seven furlongs on dirt on Sept. 18. The Our Dear Peggy Stakes was scheduled for turf, but transferred because of wet conditions.
In the Jessamine at 1 1/16 miles, Diamond Wow broke from the outside in a field of 13 and closed with a wide rally to lead for a few strides before being caught by California Angel.
Biancone said Diamond Wow’s participation at Del Mar hinges on a Sunday workout at the Palm Meadows training center in Florida.
“She came back very good,” he said. “Everything looks good. If everything is good and the weight is good, we plan to come. She’s a very nice filly.”
Hall of Fame jockey Mike Smith will ride Diamond Wow, Biancone said.
California Angel, trained by George Leonard, and Diamond Wow may be joined in the BC Juvenile Fillies Turf by Turnerloose, who was third in the Jessamine by a neck after setting the pace.
Turnerloose is trained by Brad Cox, who said Wednesday that the Juvenile Fillies Turf is in the plans for Bubble Rock, winner of the Grade 3 Matron Stakes at six furlongs on turf on Oct. 9 at Belmont Park in her stakes debut.
Other domestic contenders include Pizza Bianca, second in the Grade 1 Natalma Stakes on Sept. 19 at Woodbine; Consumer Spending, the easy winner of the Selima Sakes on Oct. 2 at Laurel, and the undefeated Koala Princess, winner of the Ainsworth Stakes on Sept. 12 at Kentucky Downs.
From New York, Sail By and Kinchen, the first two finishers of the Grade 2 Miss Grillo Stakes on Oct. 2 at Belmont Park, are scheduled to be sent to California.
Chad Brown trains Consumer Spending and Kinchen and also hopes to start Haughty, a maiden race winner last Sunday at Keeneland.
The California runners are led by Cairo Memories and Helens Well, the first two finishers of the Surfer Girl Stakes on Oct. 3 at Santa Anita.
The leading overseas runner is Wild Beauty, first in the Natalma but fifth in the Group 1 Fillies’ Mile at Newmarket Racecourse on Oct. 8 in England.