Diodoro expanding his bases to Belmont, Keeneland this spring

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Broadway Empire put trainer Robertino Diodoro’s career on the fast track in 2013, when he won the Canadian Derby and Oklahoma Derby. It was a boon for the barn, which has since established itself as a significant outfit in racing.

Diodoro was the fifth-leading trainer in wins last year in North America and through Wednesday was tied for second in that category while simultaneously leading the standings at Oaklawn Park and Turf Paradise.

In the near future, Diodoro’s stable, which also includes a division at Santa Anita, will branch out. Diodoro said plans are to send horses to both Belmont Park and Keeneland for spring meets, the first time the barn has set up shop at those tracks. Diodoro, a 43-year-old native of Calgary, Alberta, won his first race in 1995 at Northlands Park.

“Broadway Empire is probably the horse that kind of got things really going for us,” Diodoro said. “Things were going pretty well, and when he came along and won the Canadian Derby and Oklahoma Derby, I think it got the whole stable going for us.”

Diodoro sent a division to Oaklawn for the first time in 2015. His presence has grown, and this year he has expanded to 40 horses after having 24 based in Arkansas in 2016. Diodoro leads the local standings with 19 wins from 63 starts (30 percent). The stable’s runners have earned $664,076, led by Storm Advisory’s victory in the $125,000 King Cotton on Feb. 4.

“So far, we’re very happy,” Diodoro said of the first half of Oaklawn’s meet. “We kind of geared up for this meet. It’s always a team effort. Some of the older owners and some of the new owners stepping up to the plate to buy and claim horses for the Oaklawn meet has definitely helped. My three assistants, in California, Arizona, and Oaklawn, that’s a big part, too. Even though all of the guys are not at Oaklawn, they have a part to do with it because some of the horses got ready at Turf Paradise and California. Some got claimed out of California and Arizona.”

Rob Atras is Diodoro’s assistant at Oaklawn, while Kent Knudsen serves in the same role at Turf Paradise and Sean Williams at Santa Anita.

Diodoro said the purse structure at Oaklawn is one of the reasons he sent a larger division to town for 2017. He also picked up some new owners, including the Arkansas-based Lucky Dog Stables.

The top horses for the barn at this meet include Storm Advisory, who is scheduled to run in the $125,000 Hot Springs on March 11 at Oaklawn. D R C’s Pretty Sky is entered in the $125,000 Spring Fever on Saturday, while Way Striking is a candidate to see stakes action later in the year, said Diodoro.

Diodoro grew up in a racing family and was introduced to the sport by his grandfather and his parents. He also played hockey until he was 22 and briefly competed in the semipro ranks.

“It was basically horse racing and hockey growing up,” said Diodoro.

◗ Diodoro will be active in Friday’s featured eighth race with Untouchable U. She will be making her first start for the barn in a second-level optional $40,000 claiming race for fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles. The chief rivals include Emmzy, the runner-up in last year’s Grade 2 Indiana Oaks, and Divine Elegance, who owns the field’s best last-race Beyer Speed Figure, an 83 for a runner-up finish at a similar level Feb. 11 at Oaklawn.

Untouchable U last raced Feb. 4, finishing second in an optional $62,500 claiming route for fillies and mares at Golden Gate Fields. She had been entered in the $50,000 Jersey Lilly last Saturday night at Sam Houston but will run instead Friday at her base of Oaklawn.

“Just keeping her in Hot Springs,” Diodoro said of the scratch at Sam Houston. “She didn’t run that long ago in California, shipped over, and we thought another week would do her good, without shipping her again as well.”

Untouchable U will be moving back to dirt after racing on the synthetic main track at Golden Gate. She has since worked a bullet three-eighths in 37.40 seconds on dirt at Oaklawn.

“The way she’s trained over it, I don’t think there’s any worries,” Diodoro said of the surface switch. “She’s trained really nice over it.”

Geovanni Franco has the mount from post 5.

Stakes double Saturday

Oaklawn will have a stakes double on Saturday with the $125,000 Gazebo and the $125,000 Spring Fever.

Aristocratic has invaded for the Gazebo for trainer Doug O’Neill. The six-furlong race is for 3-year-olds. A field of eight will go, including the promising locals Balandeen and Rockshaw.

Marquee Miss leads a field of eight for the $125,000 Spring Fever, a 5 1/2-furlong sprint for fillies and mares. The group includes the Fair Grounds invader Kathballu.