Golden Rod winner Dream Lith headed to Diodoro's new Fair Grounds division
Kentucky Oaks hopeful Dream Lith is scheduled to arrive at Fair Grounds on Monday, according to her trainer, Robertino Diodoro.
She was freshened in Kentucky following her win in the Grade 2 Golden Rod on Nov. 27 at Churchill Downs. Dream Lith had been scheduled to join Diodoro’s barn at Oaklawn but is now headed to Fair Grounds as the trainer is setting up a small division in New Orleans.
Dream Lith could return to the races at either Fair Grounds or Oaklawn.
“We’ll decide between Oaklawn and Fair Grounds,” Diodoro said. “The main thing is to get a few works in her, and then we’ll start making more solid plans.”
Diodoro said Dream Lith’s timeline for a return to racing is around March.
The Grade 3, $300,000 Honeybee is Feb. 26 at Oaklawn. The Grade 2, $400,000 New Orleans Oaks is on March 26 at Fair Grounds. The Grade 3, $600,000 Fantasy is on April 2 at Oaklawn.
All of the races carry eligibility points for the Kentucky Oaks. Dream Lith earned 10 for her win in the Golden Rod. Earlier in her career, she won a maiden special weight at Saratoga.
Dream Lith is a daughter of Medaglia d’Oro who races for the partnership of Cypress Creek Equine and Arnold Bennewith.
Diodoro will have horses based at Fair Grounds for the first time. He said there are several reasons he is setting up a division in New Orleans.
“A couple of owners showed interest,” he said. “It’s always kind of been in the back of my mind. I think it’s the right time to go. It’s good racing. We’ve got some turf horses, and a few Louisiana-breds that might come into play there, too. We’ll start off with seven and plan to grow the stable as we go along.”
Diodoro annually ranks among the top 10 trainers in wins in North America.
His stable includes multiple stakes winner Lone Rock, who is coming off a win over stablemate Thomas Shelby in the $200,000 Tinsel at Oaklawn.
“They both ran great and they both come back good,” Diodoro said. “We’re going to decide what we’re going to do with them over the next week or so. We’ll give them a little breeze and start making some plans. We’re pretty happy with both of their performances.”
Lone Rock is a multiple Grade 2 winner and Thomas Shelby went 7 for 12 in 2021.
◗ Last Samurai, who won the $150,000 Poinsettia last month at Oaklawn with a career-high Beyer Figure of 93, could run back in the track’s Grade 3, $600,000 Razorback Handicap on Feb. 12, according to trainer Dallas Stewart. “He’s a very nice 3-year-old turning 4,” Stewart said last week. “We really like him.”