Clearview Stable's Diamond Ore, a half-sister to 2016 Grade 1 Travers-winner Arrogate, is set to make her stakes debut in the $100,000 Busanda on Jan. 24, a nine-furlong test for sophomore fillies at the Big A offering 10-4-2-1 Kentucky Oaks qualifying points to the top-four finishers.
Trained by Barb Minshall, the Tapit bay, out of the multiple stakes winning Distorted Humor mare Bubbler, was purchased for $750,000 at the 2018 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.
Bred in Kentucky by Clearsky Farms and Hill 'N' Dale Equine Holdings, Diamond Ore made her first three starts on Tapeta at Woodbine Racetrack, including a good second, defeated a half-length, on November 14 when stretched out to two turns for the first time that garnered a career-best 70 Beyer Speed Figure.
“I thought she was unlucky not to win her last race at Woodbine,” said Minshall. “She got shuffled back at the turn and then came back on and she just missed. That was the first two-turn maiden race at Woodbine on the synthetic.
“I ran her a couple times short just to give her some racing experience, even though I knew she wanted to go long,” added Minshall. “In her last race at Woodbine, she was really unlucky not to win.”
Last out, in a mile and 40 yards maiden special weight on Dec. 24 at Tampa Bay Downs, Diamond Ore made her dirt debut a winning one while racing without Lasix for the first time. With Samy Camacho up, Diamond Ore tracked in fifth before grinding out a half-length score over Purtiz that registered a 57 Beyer.
“The number was a little on the slow side, but she handled the dirt well off of one dirt work,” said Minshall.
Diamond Ore, who is based at Winding Oaks Farm in Ocala, Fla., worked five-eighths Friday morning in 1:02 as she prepares to stretch out in her stakes debut.
“It was a good work. She's strong,” said Minshall. “It's a deep track here at Winding Oaks and I thought she worked well. She's feeling good.
“I think she fits. The nine furlongs will be good for her,” added Minshall. “She's not an overly big filly, but she's gotten a lot more robust build since she came to me in July last year. She's a really happy, good feeling filly but she's not what I would call tall. She's compact.”
Minshall said the Kentucky Oaks qualifier will be a good litmus test as she plans a sophomore campaign for the well-bred bay.
“She's improved along the way. She's needed to learn and she's gotten stronger and smarter with every race,” said Minshall. “She has potential to move forward and obviously this is a big step from a maiden race to a stakes race, but it will be the same for most of the horses that are nominated. We're all looking to see what we have.”
Diamond Ore is slated to ship up to New York on Wednesday and will be piloted in the Busanda by Eric Cancel.
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