Diamondandstripes gets two-turn test in Don McNeill

Jim Helzer hit paydirt when he privately purchased Diamondandstripes earlier this fall. The horse won a stakes in his first start for his new owner and trainer, and on Saturday night has a chance to control the pace in the $75,000 Don McNeill at Remington Park.

“He’s turned out to be a good investment,” said Helzer.

The Don McNeill will share a card with the $75,000 Slide Show for fillies. Both races are at a mile, and both are restricted to 2-year-olds bred in Oklahoma.

Diamondandstripes won the $100,000 Oklahoma Classics Juvenile on Oct. 20 in his first start for Helzer. Diamondandstripes dueled through quick fractions in the six-furlong race and prevailed by a length. He will get his first two-turn test in the Don McNeill.

“We just want to keep him in the race, see if he can stay there or not,” said Helzer.

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Diamondandstripes is by Service Stripe and he has won two of four starts, including a $30,000 maiden-claiming race in August at Prairie Meadows. Helzer said he likes how Diamondandstripes, a May foal, has progressed since the Oklahoma Classics.

“I sure like the way he’s training right now,” Helzer said. “He’s growing up and he is maturing, not only from a physical standpoint, but a mental standpoint, and that mental standpoint is probably more important than the physical. That’s a big part of it, having a good mind.”

David Cabrera has the mount from post 2.

The chief threat could be Kirk of Diamonds, who was second in the Oklahoma Classics Juvenile. He closed from next to last, one start after winning his maiden from off the pace at Remington. Richard Eramia has the mount for trainer Kari Craddock.

The eight-horse field also includes Bruhlmeyer, a maiden winner at a mile Nov. 10 at Remington.

Bustin a Move could go favored in the Slide Show off her 1 1/2-length win in the $100,000 Oklahoma Classics Lassie on Oct. 20 at Remington. She led throughout and defeated a handful of the seven rivals she faces Saturday, earning what ranks as this field’s best career Beyer Speed Figure, a 70.

Bustin a Move will be looking for her third straight win when she stretches out to two turns for the Slide Show. Ramon Vazquez has the mount for Clark Brewster and trainer Steve Asmussen.

A new face on the scene is Rosie O’Prado, who comes off an eighth-place finish to eventual Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Rushing Fall in the Grade 3 Jessamine on Oct. 11 at Keeneland. Rosie O’Prado will be making her first start on dirt and her first with Oklahoma-breds. Iram Diego has the mount for trainer Danny Pish.