Star of the Dia could run big with a clean start

Star of the Dia is due for a little luck following back-to-back races where he was taken out of his game leaving the starting gate. With a good beginning, Star of the Dia figures to be in the mix throughout in a $25,000 conditional-claiming race that will serve as the featured race Friday at Emerald Downs. The six-furlong sprint goes as race 6, and any of the six horses entered has a reasonable chance of winning what appears to be a wide-open event.

Trained by Frank Lucarelli, Star of the Dia likes to be involved early, and he was sent off as the 6-5 favorite in a similar race Aug. 9 but stumbled at the start. After moving into contention while going four wide on the turn, he understandably tired and finished fourth. When he came back for the same condition Aug. 23, he finished third after another poor start. Again he went four wide around the turn, but he was still in contention in midstretch before being steadied by jockey Leslie Mawing at the sixteenth pole.

There is other speed in the field, but Star of the Dia can stalk and could be dangerous if he breaks alertly from post 5 with Mawing retaining the mount.

The G.D. Khalsa-trained Gross Misconduct gets a bit of class relief after dueling through honest fractions before giving way late to finish fifth in a $25,000 open claiming race Aug. 28.

KEY CONTENDERS

Star of the Dia (Last 3 Beyers: 73-67-74)

◗ He could win this with a clean start, and considering he has been part of the trifecta in 15 of his 20 starts at Emerald, at the very least he should be part of any exotics ticket.

Gross Misconduct (Last 3 Beyers: 66-76-72)

◗ The speed of the speed, he finished second at this level as the favorite two starts back, and that was a solid field of open claimers he faced in his latest. The winner in his most recent race, Disruption, is stakes-placed, and the runner-up, Jebrica, is a multiple stakes winner with $331,327 in earnings.

Perfect Night (Last 3 Beyers: 72-77-65)

◗ Trained by Howard Belvoir, he came from a stalking position when he won at this level two back and could get a similar trip here.

Betsy’s Gold (Last 3 Beyers: 75-0-54)

◗ This 3-year-old almost took them all the way in the same race that Star of the Dia exits.

◗ His trainer, Doris Harwood, also entered 2014 juvenile stakes winner Daytona Beach. In his last start, Daytona Beach set the pace before being eased in a one-mile unrestricted allowance race for 3-year-olds on Aug. 29.