Daytona Diamond overcomes brutal start to take Generous Portion
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A crummy start could not prevent the heavily favored Daytona Diamond from a come-from-behind victory in Friday’s $101,000 Generous Portion Stakes for California-bred 2-year-old fillies at Del Mar.
Ridden by Kazushi Kimura, Daytona Diamond bobbled at the start and was last of eight for the first few strides and seventh for most of the run on the backstretch. Kimura moved Daytona Diamond closer to the front on the turn and rallied four-wide entering the stretch to reach contention.
Daytona Diamond closed steadily to take the lead with less than a furlong remaining. She held off a threat from 9-2 Tashie to win by a half-length. Daytona Diamond ($3) ran six furlongs in 1:12.69.
Stay Bossy (5-1) finished third, beaten 4 3/4 lengths, and was followed by You Trust Me, Breakaway Babe, Strident Miss, Sentient Soon, and Obhayve. Big Twist and Palo Alto Baby were scratched by trainers Tim Yakteen and Peter Miller.
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Sentient Soon set an early pace of 22.03 seconds for the opening quarter-mile and 45.84 for a half-mile before fading from contention. Breakaway Babe led briefly in the stretch before she was overtaken by Daytona Diamond.
Daytona Diamond races for owner and breeder Henry Williamson and trainer Carla Gaines. By Tonalist, Daytona Diamond won her debut in a maiden race for statebred fillies by 5 1/4 lengths at 5 1/2 furlongs at 10-1 on Aug. 8.
Gaines said in the winner’s circle on Friday that Daytona Diamond has progressed in recent weeks.
“She’s a smart filly and she’s slowly settled and developed,” Gaines said. “She’s coming along at a rapid pace.”
Daytona Diamond has earned $105,000 from her two wins.
