Diodoro hopes for better from Violent Ridge

Trainer Robertino Diodoro envisions a different kind of trip for Violent Ridge in Wednesday’s seventh race at Lone Star Park than the horse had in his most recent start.

The feature is a first-level allowance for 3-year-olds and up over 6 1/2 furlongs.

Violent Ridge enters off a fifth-place finish at this same level May 24 at Lone Star. He was favored in the six-furlong race off a strong meet at Oaklawn Park, but ran an unconventional race.

“His last start, I don’t know what went on there,” Diodoro said. “Around the turn he dropped all the way back to last and looked like he wasn’t going to [do anything]. All of the sudden, he took off and only got beat three and half lengths.

“I think he looks pretty good in here. He’s been training well.”

Violent Ridge won a conditioned-claiming sprint at Oaklawn wire to wire in February, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 92. In his subsequent starts, he was second and third in a pair of starter allowances. Violent Ridge will break from post 7 under Ramon Vazquez.

“He ran few good races at Oaklawn on the lead,” Diodoro said. “At the same time, he can sit just off of it. In a perfect world, we’d sit right on the heels of [Heritage Park] and hopefully he can carry it home.”

Violent Ridge is a son of Violence who races for his breeder, B G Stables. Earlier in his career, Violent Ridge was third in the California Cup Derby at Santa Anita. The start came one race after he won a maiden special weight sprint at the track in January 2018.

Defender cuts back to one turn after finishing third around two turns in a local allowance route June 9, while Soap Bubble could get an ideal stalking trip behind Heritage Park, Violent Ridge, and Shifty Henry.

Shifty Henry is a half-brother to the multiple stakes winners Triumph and Song and Bravura – as well as Still of the Night. Still of the Night could go favored one race earlier, in a maiden special weight for 2-year-olds bred in Texas.