Wicked Diva and Dominguez Outfox Field in Saratoga Dew
Photo: Adam Coglianese
Lightly-raced Wicked Diva, owned and trained by Michael Hushion, got a first stakes win in her sixth lifetime start on Friday in the seventh running of the $70,000 Saratoga Dew Stakes at Saratoga, with an assist from jockey Ramon Dominguez. Dominguez took his mount to the front and expertly controlled the tempo for the mile and an eighth so that, when crunch time came in the stretch, Wicked Diva had enough in reserve to keep a short head in front of Banker’s Buy and Don’t Forget Gil, who finished second and third nostrils apart.
Wicked Diva, a four-year-old dark bay/brown daughter of Jump Start, had only finished once out of the exacta to this point – in a sloppy allowance/optional claimer in her last start at Saratoga on August 23rd. Debuting only this year, Wicked Diva broke her maiden in February at second asking on the Aqueduct inner track by more than five lengths, and, in her second try against winners, won a first level allowance at Belmont going a mile – the longest distance she had raced prior to the nine-furlong Saratoga Dew. Both victories came going one turn in state-bred company.
Getting out of the gate from post five in good order (as fourth choice in the wagering at 4.10-to-1), Wicked Diva went straight to the front, where Dominguez began to play cat and mouse with the field, dictating an extremely measured pace, but making sure to keep comfortably ahead of pursuit. Don’t Forget Gil stalked in second, closing the gap from two lengths after a quarter (in 24.99) to one length after a half-mile (in 49.68) and to a half-length after six furlongs (in 1:14.14), but never managing to challenge the leader directly. First Landlash, then My Dinah raced third, while favorite Banker’s Buy, who was last away, stayed reserved near the back, racing in fifth until the stretch drive. In the stretch, Dominguez gave Wicked Diva a couple of cracks of the whip, first on the left and then on the right, and she responded, putting in her utmost effort to the last to fend off her foes. Banker’s Buy, who went six wide into the stretch, rallied on the far outside, but fell just a head short of Wicked Diva. Banker’s Buy did, however, manage to win the photo finish with Don’t Forget Gil by a nostril. With her third career victory and first stakes score, Wicked Diva has now earned $105,550. The final time for the race, run over the fast main track was 1:52.77, and completing the order of finish were: My Dinah, Landlash and Big Brownie.
Bred by Hidden Lake Farm, LLC, Richard K. Gallagher and Joan T. Simpson, and foaled at Hidden Lake Farm, Wicked Diva is one of six winners (of eight to start) from Wicked Mama by Devil’s Bag, including her only other New York-bred foal, Beach Harber Man (Around the Cape). Hidden Lake Farm purchased the stakes-winning mare at the 2005 Keeneland November Breeding Stock sale for $18,000. Saada (Thunder Gulch), Grade 3 placed in Canada, is her only other offspring with black type, but her progeny have won over $540,000. Wicked Diva is a graduate of the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Preferred New York-bred sale, where she was purchased by John Gioia for $125,000.
Source URL: http://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2010/09/03/wicked-diva-saratoga-dew/