California Diamond heads to latest sale as Santa Anita Juvenile winner

ARCADIA, Calif. - California Diamond is unbeaten in two starts, including Saturday’s $125,345 Santa Anita Juvenile, which is one less appearance than he has made in the sales ring in his life.

Purchased for $35,000 at a yearling sale in Washington last September, California Diamond was later bought back for $42,000 as a yearling at Barretts last October and for $60,000 at the Barretts May sale of 2-year-olds in-training sale at Del Mar.

Earlier this week, California Diamond was entered in yet another sale – the Paddock Sale at Del Mar of horses of racing age on July 23. He will walk into the sales ring as the first winner of a stakes for 2-year-old males in Southern California this year from the Santa Anita Juvenile.

Trained by John Brocklebank, California Diamond ($15.20) closed from third in a field of six to win the Santa Anita Juvenile by three-quarters of a length over 2-1 favorite Green With Eddie.

Silver Assault, the 5-2 second choice, overcame a slow start to finish third, catching the eye with his late run. Secret House was fourth, followed by Rebel War and Right Hand Man.

California Diamond broke from the outside and a clean start left jockey Edwin Maldonado encouraged.

“When he left the gate like that, I knew I had a great shot,” Maldonado said. “He was push-button today.”

California Diamond was third on the turn, trailing Green With Eddie. With a wide rally, California Diamond took the lead in the final furlong. He was timed in 1:03.54 for 5 1/2 furlongs.

California Diamond was owned by Vern Dickman when he won a maiden race against California-breds on June 17. Brocklebank said he and Dickman parted ways in recent weeks and that California Diamond is now owned by his brother, Jeff, racing as Twin V Farm.

“He wants to do more racing stuff,” John Brocklebank said of Dickman. “We like to sell horses.”

California Diamond is by the Seeking the Gold stallion Harbor the Gold. The colt has earned $108,600.