Diva’s Diamond targets Iowa Distaff repeat

Diva’s Diamond has been put on a Prairie Meadows program following her runner-up finish to champion Untapable in last month’s Grade 1, $600,000 Apple Blossom Handicap. Karl Broberg, the leading trainer at Lone Star Park, said Friday that Diva’s Diamond has a summer objective of defending her title in the $100,000 Iowa Distaff. The 1 1/16-mile race will be contested June 26.

“We’ve taken her to Iowa to run her back in the stakes that she won last year, and hopefully, there will be a prep race for her before that one,” Broberg said. “She’s doing really good right now.”

Broberg has a division of horses at Prairie Meadows for the first time in a few years. He also is racing at Evangeline Downs, Lone Star Park, and Louisiana Downs.

Diamond’s Diva was 51-1 in the Apple Blossom, an April 10 race at Oaklawn in which she rallied from fifth. She surpassed $500,000 in earnings for her effort. Diva’s Diamond, a 6-year-old by Crafty Shaw, races for Jerry Namy.

Gold Medal Dancer, who finished right behind Diva’s Diamond in third in the Apple Blossom, on Friday ran third in the Grade 1 La Troienne at Churchill Downs.

New entry policy for Lone Star turf races

With last Friday’s card, Lone Star began taking main-track-only entries for its turf races, said Bart Lang, the track’s director of racing. Lang said it is the first time Lone Star has taken such entries, and the move was made after an unseasonably wet start to the meet. The inclement weather has resulted in shorter fields in turf races that had to be moved to the main track.

“I think we only lost three days of turf racing last year,” Lang said. “We’ve already lost more than that.”

Lang said he believes Lone Star is the first track in Texas to utilize the main-track-only option.

◗ Racing will resume next Friday at Lone Star as there is no Thursday racing during the month of May. Lone Star, which has traditionally run Thursdays through Sundays, has just two Thursday programs remaining this season, June 18 and July 16. Outside of those dates, the track will mostly race Fridays through Sundays, with the exception of a holiday Monday program May 25 that features the Grade 3, $200,000 Lone Star Park Handicap. The season runs through July 19.