Diamond Spirit tries dirt again

Diamond Spirit, graded stakes-placed on turf two starts ago but able to finish ahead of only two horses last time out on dirt, may nevertheless be favored when she stays on the main track for Saturday's $100,000 Go for Wand at Delaware Park.

The 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-old fillies is the first of two local preps for the Grade 2, $500,000 Delaware Oaks on July 15.

Based in New York with trainer Allen Jerkens, Diamond Spirit had her best race on dirt when she finished second in the Grade 3 Valley Stream, a six-furlong sprint at Aqueduct, last November.

Her future seemed to be on turf, however, after three consecutive solid grass races at Gulfstream Park, capped by a half-length loss as the runner-up in the Grade 3 Herecomesthebride.

Back on the main track, Diamond Spirit finished fourth of six, beaten eight lengths, in the Grade 2 Nassau at Belmont three weeks ago. She could improve making her second start off the layoff and switching from seven furlongs to 1 1/16 miles.

Those looking to beat the favorite have several viable alternatives.

Lady of Clare, who needed eight starts to win her maiden, has captured her last two races by a combined 18 1/4 lengths. She returns just nine days after earning a career-best Beyer Speed Figure of 92 over a track where she was among six of the seven winners on dirt who raced up front and on the rail that day.

Amandatude, Summer Romance, A Bit of Pressure, and Unbridled Belle all come off recent victories with Beyer Figures in a narrow range between 78 and 82. The Tim Ritchey-trained Amandatude easily won an overnight stakes two weeks ago. The other three step up after clearing their first allowance condition.

Pimlico: Dynamic Deputy faces softer

Dynamic Deputy, second against open stakes company the last two times she ran on the main track, drops to face Maryland-breds for the first time in her career in the $50,000 Shine Again at Pimlico.

The 1 1/16-mile race drew a field of 10 older fillies and mares.

Dynamic Deputy, part of a Dickie Small-trained coupling with Take a Check, has been first or second in 8 of her 10 career starts, including back-to-back runner-up finishes in the Snow Goose and Maryland Racing Media Handicap at Laurel Park earlier this year. She returns to dirt after a wide trip in the one-mile Dahlia six weeks ago.

Sassy Love also switches surfaces and tries blinkers for the first time after three consecutive third-place finishes on turf. Although she has started on dirt just three times in her 14-race career, Sassy Love finished only a half-length behind Dynamic Deputy going nine furlongs in February.

Take a Check was only a neck behind stablemate Dynamic Deputy in the one-mile Snow Goose on April 1, but has been the beaten favorite in two subsequent starts, both over sloppy tracks. With 2 wins and 3 seconds at Pimlico, she is eligible to improve if the track is dry on Saturday.

My Girlie had been running Beyers in the low 60's sprinting on turf, but dramatically improved to a 99 that is by far the fastest in this field when she was switched to two turns on dirt in a first-level allowance two weeks ago. She is susceptible to a bounce returning on short rest.

Charles Town: Several speedsters in short sprint

Shamss, Rainbow Inthestorm, and Riproarious - all of whom have displayed high speed in longer sprints out of town - will try to replicate that form going 4 1/2 furlongs in the $50,000 Jiva Coolit Stakes for 3-year-olds at Charles Town.

Shamss, whose Beyer Figure of 98 in a nose loss against second-level allowance sprinters at Delaware Park is the best figure in the field, is coupled with Riproarious, who exits a six-length win against $35,000 claimers at Delaware.

Rainbow Inthestorm has not been behind at the half-mile call in each of his seven lifetime races, including an easy win at the distance facing maidens at Delaware last September.

Among those with experience going 4 1/2 furlongs at Charles Town, Logan's Rally is unbeaten in three career starts and Prince o'Pranks won his maiden by 3 3/4 lengths in April.