Next-race options uncertain for Theonewewaitedfor, California Diamond

ARCADIA, Calif. - One is a homebred from a breeder with a decades-long involvement in the sport. The other has been shopped around at sales up and down the West Coast and is available for sale again later this month.

The California-breds Theonewewaitedfor and California Diamond won the first stakes for 2-year-olds in Southern California at Santa Anita on Saturday. The way they were prepared to win the Landaluce Stakes and Santa Anita Juvenile could not be more diverse.

Theonewewaitedfor was bred by owner Heinz Steinmann and represents the second generation of the filly’s family he has campaigned. Theonewewaitedfor won the $125,345 Landaluce Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs by 2 3/4 lengths to give the Kentucky-based stallion Creative Cause his first stakes winner.

Theonewewaitedfor’s win present Steinmann and trainer Mike Harrington with a pleasant problem. They have several options for her next start.

During the upcoming Del Mar summer meeting, Theonewewaitedfor can run against California-bred fillies in a race such as the $100,000 California Thoroughbred Breeders Association Stakes at 5 1/2 furlongs on July 29, or against open company in the $200,000 Sorrento Stakes, a Grade 2 for fillies at 6 1/2 furlongs on Aug. 6.

“I don’t know what we’ll do,” Harrington said in the winner’s circle. “The smart thing would be to run in the Cal-bred race.”

Race plans for California Diamond are unclear. The colt won the $125,345 Santa Anita Juvenile by three-quarters of a length to remain unbeaten in two starts. Trainer John Brocklebank said in the winner’s circle that California Diamond has been entered in the Barretts paddock sale at Del Mar on July 23.

California Diamond is already a veteran of the sale circuit. He was bought by Brocklebank, as agent for Vern Dickman, for $35,000 at a yearling sale in Washington last September. A month later, California Diamond was listed as bought back for $42,000 at the Barretts October yearling sale. In May of this year, California Diamond was listed as bought back for $60,000 at the Barretts May Sale of 2-year-olds in-training.

Brocklebank said that California Diamond changed hands privately in recent weeks. He was listed as owned by Dickman when nominations for the Santa Anita Juvenile were published in early July. For the race, he was listed as owned by Twin V Farm, which Brocklebank said represents his family.

Brocklebank said that he and Dickman have ended their business arrangement.

“We went different ways,” he said. “He wants to do more racing stuff. We like to sell horses.”

California Diamond was bred in California and is by the Washington state-based stallion Harbor the Gold, by Seeking the Gold. Bred by Stormy Hull, California Diamond is out of Carrie’s a Jewel, a seven-time winner who was second in the 2006 Belle Roberts Stakes at Emerald Downs.

California Diamond is the first stakes winner out of Carrie’s A Jewel.

Theonewewaitedfor is out of Yolo Lady, a stakes winner for Steinmann and Harrington in the 1998 Arbor Vitae Stakes at Hollywood Park. Yolo Lady, now 21, raced at the highest level in Southern California, finishing second to Manistique in the Grade 1 Vanity Handicap at Hollywood Park in 1999.

“We’ve still got her,” said Harrington, who advises Steinmann on breeding. “She’s been having problems getting in foal. It’s been one of those deals.”

Theonewewaitedfor is Yolo Lady’s second stakes winner. She is the dam of Alpenfest, who won the 2003 Willard Proctor Memorial Stakes at Hollywood Park. Alpenfest had an abbreviated career, winning 2 of 3 starts. He earned $86,205.

Theonewewaitedfor has exceeded that in her first two starts, with earnings of $118,680.