Meadowlands: She's A Bulldog breaks through in Three Diamonds final

She's A Bulldog broke her maiden with a 1:51 1/5 victory in the $357,000 Grade 1 Three Diamonds on Saturday night at the Meadowlands, snapping stablemate Loua Dipa's five-race win streak.

Loua Dipa, the 1-5 favorite, marched forward from post 10 into a mid-pack spot entering the first turn before motoring after stablemate Seaside Shuffle through a 27 2/5 first quarter. Seaside Shuffle cleared command from pylon-starter Perfect Thought before yielding to Loua Dipa's brush as driver Ronnie Wrenn Jr. finally settled the chalk onto pylons passing three-eighths. She carried the field by the half in 55 4/5, at which point driver Dexter Dunn pulled She's A Bulldog out of fifth and charged uncovered for the lead into the far turn.

Dunn rolled She's A Bulldog menacingly up the rim and loomed to match strides with Loua Dipa past three-quarters in 1:24. She's A Bulldog then surged to command rounding for home and held her ground for a 1 3/4 length win as Loua Dipa gave futile chase in second. Perfect Thought saved ground for third as did Darlin's Angel for fourth.

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"I was trying to slow her down to be honest," Dexter Dunn said. "When I moved her at the half she was raring to go. Coming off that last turn, I really had a great hold of her. I had a lap full of horse, but when you're coming up against champion horses it's always tough. Obviously Loua Dipa is a fantastic filly, but this filly really turned up tonight."

The maiden-breaking victory by She's A Bulldog, in her ninth start, pushed her earnings to $379,326 for owner-breeder Brad Grant. The Bulldog Hanover-Band Stand filly trained by Ron Burke paid $17.80 to win.