Patriotic Diamond should like added distance in Soviet Problem
As a stakes winner, Patriotic Diamond has risen to the fore of the California-bred 2-year-old filly division. She has yet to attempt what trainer Patrick Biancone believes will be her strength – racing at a mile or farther.
Patriotic Diamond will start at a mile for the first time Saturday in the $100,000 Soviet Problem Stakes for California-bred 2-year-old fillies at Los Alamitos. By the Sunday Silence stallion Hat Trick, Patriotic Diamond will be favored in a field of eight.
“She’s bred to go long,” said Biancone. “We’re looking forward to her going two turns. My main concern was when she was going short.”
Owned by Kin Hui’s Diamond 100 Racing Club, Patriotic Diamond won the Generous Portion Stakes for statebred 2-year-old fillies at six furlongs Aug. 28 at Del Mar for her first victory. Patriotic Diamond was third to Pacific Heat in the Golden State Juvenile Fillies at Del Mar on Oct. 29, but Pacific Heat is not entered in the Soviet Problem. She being pointed for the $300,000 Starlet Stakes at Los Alamitos on Dec. 12. In her last start, Patriotic Diamond won an optional claimer for California-bred 2-year-old fillies by a convincing 3 1/4 lengths Nov. 26 at Del Mar.
The only other stakes winner in the Soviet Problem field is Just Google Me, who won the Barretts Debutante at Los Alamitos on Sept. 19.
Key contenders
Patriotic Diamond (Last 3 Beyers: 65-62-69)
* Patriotic Diamond’s optional-claiming win was little more than “a nice workout,” Biancone said.
“The plan was to try to run in that race and then come back in this little stakes,” he said.
* Patriotic Diamond was fitted with blinkers in the optional claimer and will wear them again Saturday. Biancone said he put blinkers on Patriotic Diamond because she “lost focus” in the Golden State Juvenile Fillies.
* Mike Smith will ride Patriotic Diamond for the first time, replacing Rafael Bejarano, who is suspended this weekend after dropping an appeal of a recent riding infraction.
Just Google Me (Last 3 Beyers: 44-66-66)
* Just Google Me was second in the Generous Portion and a dominant winner by 9 1/2 lengths in the Barretts Debutante.
* Just Google Me was ninth after a wide trip in the Golden State Juvenile Fillies, a loss that trainer Scott Rollins blames on a pre-race temper tantrum.
“The pony girl said she got upset in the post parade,” said Rollins. “We’ve been saying we’d like to run her a mile.”
Lucky to Win (Beyers: 49-47)
* The Soviet Problem will be the stakes debut for Lucky to Win, who won a maiden race on dirt at Del Mar Nov. 20. Lucky to Win closed from third in a field of 11 to win the 5 1/2-furlong race by a neck in her second start.
“Off the two races, I’m confident she can get the mile,” said trainer Sean McCarthy. “Although the time wasn’t anything fancy, it was a gutty win by her. The fact she put up a fight was impressive.”
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 4 Lucky to Win. Trainer Sean McCarthy is 4-2-1-0 with a $6.25 ROI over the past five years going sprint to route on dirt with horses that finished in the money in the previous start. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
:: Learn more about Formulator | Buy Formulator PPs
:: Follow the @DRFFormulator Twitter feed and get free Formulator facts
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 3 Roo’s Valentine. Trainer Kristin Mulhall is 12-1-0-3 with a $0.58 ROI over the past five years going turf to dirt with horses that finished in the money in the previous start. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan