patrick biancone | Horse Racing Free Tips

Diamond Wow Wins Our Dear Peggy At Gulfstream Park

Diamond 100 Racing Club, Amy E Dunne, and trainer Patrick Biancone's Diamond Wow made her family proud at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., Saturday, capturing the $75,000 Our Dear Peggy to remain undefeated in two starts.

“She's special,” said Biancone after the daughter of Lookin At Lucky's 1 ¾-length victory.

The Our Dear Peggy, a stakes for 2-year-old fillies originally scheduled for a mile on turf, was contested at seven furlongs on a fast main track.

Diamond Wow, who had previously debuted with a three-length victory in a five-furlong maiden special weight race on turf at Gulfstream, is scheduled to run next at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington, Ky., in either the Oct. 8 Grade 1 Alcibiades at 1 1/16 miles on dirt or the Oct. 13 Grade 2 Jessamine at 1 1/16-miles on turf.

“If she comes out good and is training good, we're planning to bring her to Keeneland,” Biancone said.

Diamond Wow ($4.80) is out of Patriotic Diamond, who is a half-sister to Biancone-trained Diamond Oops, a son of Lookin At Lucky who is a multiple graded-stakes winner on both dirt and turf.

“Turf, dirt it made no difference,” said Biancone, who reported that Patriotic Diamond is back in foal to Lookin At Lucky. “I like to start my 2-year-olds at five furlongs on turf because I don't want them to have a hard race. Sometimes they win, sometimes they finish second. She won because she's very talented. Today, she waited and took a lot of kick-back.”

Diamond Wow, who stalked the early pace before moving to the lead on the turn into the homestretch, shook off a strong challenge by Harper Be Good in mid-stretch on her way to a 1 ¾-length victory. The Kentucky-bred filly ran seven furlongs in 1:24.67 under Romero Maragh.

The Our Dear Peggy was followed by the $60,000 City of West Park, a seven-furlong overnight handicap for 3-year-olds. Magic Stables LLC's Papetu, the even-money favorite ridden by Miguel Vasquez, made a four-wide sweep to the lead at the top of the stretch and drew clear. The Antonio Sano-trained son of Dialed In, who won the Carry Back earlier in the Spring/Summer Meet, ran seven furlongs in 1:22.65.

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Biancone: Diamond Oops ‘Runs his Best When He’s Doing Something Different’

When Andie Biancone saddles Diamond Oops in Kentucky Downs $1 million G3 FanDuel Turf Sprint on Saturday it will be yet another episode in the ongoing multi-generational, two-family affair.

Diamond Oops, the 6-year-old son of Lookin At Lucky, is a member of the third of four generations of his family trained by Biancone's father, Patrick. Andie has joined the family business, is an assistant trainer and the exercise rider for the multiple graded-stakes winning millionaire gelding.

After Diamond Oops ran third as the 8-5 favorite in the six-furlong G3 Smile Stakes on dirt on July 3 at Gulfstream Park, his connections decided that it was time to try something new and began preparing for a September trip to Kentucky Downs.

“Initially, the plan for this year was to really focus on six furlongs on the dirt, because that's really his niche. That's really where we feel like he does his best,” she said. “But last race, we ran him and he just ran like a pretty flat third. We think it's because he's bored. This horse runs his best when he's doing something different. He loves to run six furlongs on the dirt, a mile on the turf, five furlongs on the turf. He loves the change. He's so intelligent and he really appreciates doing things differently. I think that's why he loves Kentucky Downs so much. It's because it's not a race track. It's so big, so different. And he's just so happy.”

During training hours Wednesday, Diamond Oops showed Biancone, 24, just how pleased he is to be at the sprawling track in rural southern Kentucky very close to the border with Tennessee.

“It's like he's at Disneyland here,” she said. “It's just kind of blowing his mind a little bit. The space. The grass. Everything. He's so excited. He's also just so well right now. My dad really has him in his best form.

“He came out of the barn, heard some gravel move and then he just reared straight up and bashed me in the face with his head. I'm a little concussed, but it's a long way from my heart. It's okay. I can survive. He definitely felt sorry afterwards. He was giving me the baby eyes like 'Mom, I'm so sorry.' I was like, 'Hmm. OK. You can make it up to me on Saturday.' I'm like, 'Save it, save it for the race. Please keep yourself composed for 48 hours.”

The horse and human connections go back more than 20 years when Patrick Biancone was training Diamond Oops' grandsire, the multiple graded-stakes winner Whywhywhy and his second dam Patriotic Diva, owned by Kin Hui. After Patriotic Diva retired, Hui bred her to Whywhywhy and that mating produced the 2007 filly Patriotic Viva, who became the dam of Diamond Oops. Patrick Biancone also trained other foals dropped by Patriotic Viva. This summer, the 2-year-old Diamond Wow, a daughter of Diamond Oops' sister, Patriotic Diamond, broke her maiden at Gulfstream Park.

“It's been really cool. They're just such a classy family,” Andie Biancone said.

Bred by Hui, Diamond Oops is co-owned by Hui's Diamond 100 Racing Club, Amy Dunne, D P Racing and Patrick Biancone Racing. He wasn't supposed to end up in Biancone's care.

“We named him Oops, because he was so ugly and we got stuck with him, kind of,” Andie Biancone said. “We tried to, sell him as a weanling and he was a no-bid at the sale. It's so funny because when he won the Phoenix (in 2020), Keeneland posted like a little video of him in the ring, I always wondered what he looked like as a baby. And they posted this video of him in the ring. I was like, 'Oh my gosh, a mule.' He really looked like a donkey. It's so funny how much he's grown into himself. He's obviously gorgeous now.”

Diamond Oops won a pair of stakes as a 2-year-old, but was limited to a single start as a 3-year-old by what was feared to be a career-ending leg injury. After a 10-month layoff, Diamond Oops returned to competition and won the Smile in his third start. He was second in a pair of G1 stakes, the A.G. Vanderbilt on dirt and the Shadwell Turf Mile, and was eighth in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile and completed his season with a victory in the G3 Mr. Prospector.

Last year, he captured G2 stakes on turf and dirt and was sixth in the Breeders' Cup Sprint.

Noting that Diamond Oops wasn't at his best later in the season in the Breeders' Cup, his connections gave him a couple of months off during the winter and plotted a conservative schedule for 2021. The Turf Sprint at Kentucky Downs was a reworking of the plan and will be his sixth career start on grass. A victory will earn him a guaranteed, fees-paid berth in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint through the “Win and You're In” program.

Based on his history and the way he feels under her in the morning, Andie Biancone expects him to run well Saturday.

“He's gutsy,” she said. “When he ran the Shadwell Turf Mile, I thought that was pretty bold to run him two turns, but he finished a really game second. That's just him. He loves a challenge. He's not afraid. He doesn't back down and he literally thinks he's like the only horse in the world. It's just that cocky attitude of his.”

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Jesus’ Team, Sole Volante Reunite Sunday In Gulfstream’s City Of Dania Stakes

A lot has happened since the last time Jesus' Team and Sole Volante clashed at Gulfstream Park 13 months ago. Jesus' Team went on to become multiple Grade 1 stakes-placed while competing against some of the best horses in the world, while Sole Volante went on to run in the Belmont Stakes (G1) and Kentucky Derby (G1).

The two 4-year-olds will reunite in Sunday's $60,000 City of Dania at Gulfstream Park in Hallandale Beach, Fla., a mile overnight handicap in which Jesus' Team will carry 127 pounds, nine pounds more than the horse that had defeated him in a stakes-quality optional claiming allowance at Gulfstream June 10, 2020.

While acknowledging the disparity in weight assignments, trainer Jose D'Angelo is willing to accept the challenge for Jesus' Team first start since Grupo 7C Racing Stable's color-bearer finished sixth in the $10 million Dubai World Cup (G1) March 27.

“I think he's come along very good. He is good and sharp. I think it is a good spot for him coming off a layoff,” D'Angelo said. “I know he has to carry a lot of weight, but I think it is not a big deal.”

Jesus's Team won a $25,000 claiming race in his first race after winning a $35,000 maiden claiming race and first race after being transferred to D'Angelo. The son of Tapiture finished second, beaten by three-quarters of a length by Sole Volante, in his next start before eight consecutive stakes races. D'Angelo and Jesus' Team hit the road to face the best company in the country for the rest of the year and faring extremely well. The Kentucky-bred colt went on to finish third in the Preakness (G1) and Jim Dandy (G2) before finishing second behind Knicks Go in the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile (G1) at Keeneland.

“For me, it was amazing. Jesus represents to me the best horse I've trained,” said D'Angelo, who was the leading trainer in Venezuela before venturing to South Florida in 2019. “He gave me the best moments of my life, professionally speaking. When you come to this country. You see all the big horses and big trainers. To have a horse that has the ability to take you there with him, it was amazing.”

Jesus' Team returned to Gulfstream to capture the Claiming Crown Jewel in his final start of 2020 before making his 2021 debut in the $3 million Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1), in which he again finished second behind Knicks Go. Unfortunately, the D'Angelo trainee seemed to lack the same competitive spirit in Dubai.

“The race was not a good race for him. The horse wasn't training very good in Dubai,” D'Angelo said. “Sometimes that happens, and you never know.”

After enjoying some rest and relaxation and putting on some weight, Jesus' Team has produced a series of strong breezes at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream's satellite training facility in Palm Beach County, in preparation for the City of Dania.

Samy Camacho is scheduled to ride Jesus' Team for the first time since his second-place finish behind Sole Volante last year.

Patrick Biancone-trained Sole Volante will be seeking his first win in five starts since his decision over Jesus' Team last year. The son of Karakontie went on to finish off the board in the Belmont and Derby before a couple of uneventful efforts on the turf. Following a four-month break, he raced evenly to finish fourth in a mile optional claiming allowance on the main track May 22.

Reeves Thoroughbred Racing and Andie Biancone's gelding had established himself as a Triple Crown prospect early last year when he won the Sam Davis (G3) and finished second in the Tampa Bay Derby (G2)

Luca Panici has the return mount on Sole Volante, who will be equipped with blinkers for the first time.

Harold Queen's Noble Drama, a multiple stakes winner and fan favorite at Gulfstream; Rodney Lundock's Pro Quality, who was just a neck behind Noble Drama; Lawson Racing Stables' I'm a G Six, an impressive winner of a mile optional claiming allowance last time out; Willow Lane Stable Inc.'s Highestdistinction, who is slated to make his 2021 debut Sunday after winning his last two starts of 2020; and IAB Stables and Walter Fralick's Quenane, a veteran campaigner with 14 career wins; round out the field.

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Ete Indien Returns From Year-Long Layoff In Sunday’s Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint

A prominent prospect on the Road to the Triple Crown last year before going to the sidelines, Ete Indien is scheduled to make his first start in more than a year in Sunday's $100,000 Bob Umphrey Turf Sprint at Gulfstream Park.

The Umphrey, a five-furlong turf sprint that offers a $25,000 'Win Only' bonus to Florida-bred entrants, is featured on Sunday's Fourth of July program, wrapping up Summit of Speed Weekend, which will be highlighted by the $350,000 Princess Rooney Invitational (G2) and the $200,000 Smile Sprint Invitational (G3) on Saturday's card.

Ete Indien was a leading 3-year-old last year after setting the pace to finish second behind Tiz the Law in the Holy Bull (G2) and capturing the Fountain of Youth (G2) by 8 ½ lengths. The son of Summer Front went on to finish third behind Tiz the Law after setting a pressured early pace in the Florida Derby (G1). Unfortunately, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness Stakes (G1) were postponed from their traditional May dates.

“For us, it was very disappointing because my two horses – he and Sole Volante – were at the top of their game,” trainer Patrick Biancone said. “Everything changed. One got hurt and the other one lost his form. But the racetracks were great, protecting everybody and keeping them safe and keeping everybody working.”

Ete Indien would race only once more last year in a June optional claiming allowance, weakening to finish fourth behind stablemate Sole Volante after setting a pressured pace.

“He's trained extremely well, but when you have not run for a year, you cannot expect to have the horse super-tight. He had a little hiccup, and he's recovered from everything now. He's happy, sound and very strong,” Biancone said. “He strained one of his ankles. He should have been ready to run in March, but unfortunately, one morning, he put his legs over the [stall] door and I lost another three months.”

Biancone is happy with what he sees in Ete Indien one full year after he established himself as one of the best 3-year-olds in the country.

“He's gorgeous; he's really matured. He's 16 hands. He's a monster,” said Biancone, who owns Ete Indien with Linda Shanahan, Sanford Bacon, Dream With Me Stable Inc., Horse France America and D P Racing.

Ete Indien has already had success on turf at the five-furlong distance, having closed from off the pace to capture his career debut in September 2019. The Kentucky-bred colt finished off the board following an extremely wide trip in the Bourbon (G3) over Keeneland's turf course in his second start. He rebounded in his dirt debut next time out, scoring a front-running 2 ½-length optional claiming allowance that preceded his most encouraging performances in the Holy Bull, Fountain of Youth and Florida Derby.

“I like the five furlongs on turf for a comeback because it's not too hard on them,” Biancone. “We go back to scratch. He's had a year off. We got back to where he started.”

Florent Geroux, who was aboard for Ete Indien's Fountain of Youth romp, has the call.

Glen Hill Farm's Caribou Club, a multiple graded stakes-winning 7-year-old gelding with more than $700,000 in earnings, looms as a strong contender in the Umphrey after notching a victory in his first career start at the five-furlong distance on turf in a May 22 overnight handicap at Gulfstream.

Edwin Gonzalez has the return call on Caribou Club.

Caribou Club, a Florida-bred son of City Zip, is eligible for the “Win Only' bonus offer, as are Imaginary Stables' Harry's Ontheloose, Move Horse Inc.'s Romario, Hibiscus Stables LLC's Tiger Blood, Just for Fun Stable Inc.'s Warrior's Pride and Golden Kernel Racing Stable's Yes I Am Free.

Lea Farms LLC's Citrus Burst, Chester Bishop's Brother Satchmo and Imaginary Stables' Nitro Time round out the main body of the field. Vicente Stella Stables LLC's Sovereign Warrior is on the also-eligible list. Reeves Thoroughbred Racing's Ournationonparade and Averill Racing and partners' R Mercedes Boy are main-track-only entrants.

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