Union Jackson’s first winner comes at Delaware Park
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Our Tiny Dancer breaks her maiden at Delaware Park on 9/9/21. Hoofprints, Inc. Photo.
By Melissa Bauer-Herzog
Sequel Stallions New York resident Union Jackson hit another milestone when 2-year-old Our Tiny Dancer gave her sire a first winner to remember with an 8-length romp at Delaware Park Thursday.
The filly proved to love the mud in the 1-mile race, going straight to the lead on the track labeled sloppy from the widest stall in the seven-horse field. Our Tiny Dancer galloped comfortably a little over a length in front with Erick Lopez keeping a hold on her down the backstretch. It looked like High Frontier may challenge the winner but even showing a little greenness, Our Tiny Dancer was much the best. The stretch run held only one question – how far would the New York-bred win by? – and she answered in emphatic style at the line.
Trained by Amira Chichakly, the filly started her career in New York and was third on debut at Belmont Park before two under-par turf performances at Saratoga. Fate intervened for this race when raining the card off the turf at Delaware Park so One Tiny Dancer could show her love of the dirt surface.
Bred by Larry Botting, Our Tiny Dancer was originally offered as a weanling at the Fasig-Tipton New York Saratoga fall mixed sale where she was a $9,000 RNA. She was later offered by Top Line Sales at this year’s Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Two-Year-Olds In Training Sale and purchased by John Moirano from Top Line Sales for $25,000.
Moriano was joined by Pines Stables, John Irwin and Salle P Thoroughbred Racing in the racing partnership.
Our Tiny Dancer‘s dam Dance I Can was one of 78 mares bred to Union Jackson in his debut season in New York. Owned by Stonestreet Stables during his racing career and still co-owned by the operation as a stallion, the son of Curlin won six of 11 starts with two stakes victories and a Grade 3 placing in the Aristides. He stood the 2021 season for $2,500 in Hudson, New York.
His Grade 1-winning dam Hot Dixie Chick is a familiar name to New York racing as the winner of the 2009 Grade 1 Spinaway and Schuylerville. Also the dam of Grade 3 winner Pauline’s Pearl, Hot Dixie Chick is a half-sister to 2017 Grade 1 Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming.
Our Tiny Dancer is the first foal out of the 11-time winning New York-bred Dance I Can, who placed in 27 of her 34 starts for over $122,000 in earnings.
Dance I Can had a colt by the late The Lieutenant last year and was bred to Leofric for 2021 before visiting Frank Conversation this year.
Endnotes:- [Image]: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Our-Tiny-Dancer-Hoofprints-Inc-web.jpg
Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2021/09/09/union-jacksons-first-winner-comes-at-delaware-park/
Diamond Digger runs record to 4-for-4 in Winnipeg Futurity
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Diamond Digger rolls to victory in the Winnipeg Futurity. J. Halstead/Assiniboia Photo
By Tom Law
Next stop, Arizona.
That’s the likely itinerary for the summertime star of Assiniboia Downs, New York-bred 2-year-old gelding Diamond Digger, who improved to 4-for-4 in Wednesday night’s $35,000 Winnipeg Futurity in Manitoba.
Under regular rider Stanley Chadee Jr., the 2-year-old Violance gelding won the 6-furlong Futurity by 3 1/2 lengths as the 1-5 betting choice over Favorite with Kiton another 1 ¾ lengths back in third. Diamond Digger won in 1:13.80.
Bred by Milfer Farm Inc. and racing for the partnership The Young And The Rest Of Us, Diamond Digger previously won the Graduation
Stakes Aug. 4 and Osiris Stakes Aug. 23, both at Assiniboia Downs. After the Osiris, where he beat Favorite by 3 3/4 lengths, trainer Michael Nault said he’d likely send the gelding south for the winter with eyes on a big prize back home next summer.
“He’ll go in (the Futurity) and from there we’ll probably send him to Arizona for the winter,” Nault said. “I used to go there, too, but I’m not going to this year because of covid and everything. We’re going to send him to another guy. Don Schnell. He’ll go with him for the winter. Keep him in Arizona, train him lightly, maybe run him a few times and get him back here.
“If he’s what we think he’s going to be he’s our Derby horse for next year. The Manitoba Derby.”
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Diamond Digger’s team celebrates his third straight stakes win. J. Halstead/Assiniboia Photo
The Manitoba Derby goes for a $100,000 purse in early August. Nault said last month that he expects even more from the gelding out of the Pulpit mare Prayer Bell.
“He’s still tall and gangly, about 16 2, but he’s going to fill out,” he said. “If he develops and everything, stays healthy and things keep going right he’ll be a Class A horse up here.
“He’s fitting here well. He’s going to fit in a lot of places, this horse. Just a professional. A thrill. A 5-year-old kid could pat on him, a 5-year-old kid could gallop him. Just a pro.”
Bred and foaled at Dr. Jon Davis’ Milfer Farm in Unadilla, Diamond Digger was sold to his owners for $2,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky sale by Legacy Bloodstock.
He’s the third foal out of Prayer Bell, a maiden winner at Keeneland in 2014 for trainer Charlie LoPresti. She sold in foal to Lookin At Lucky for $70,000 to Winchester Farm at the 2015 Keeneland November breeding stock sale, and the subsequent foal named Looking At Liberty sold for $200,000 at the 2017 Keeneland September yearling sale. He went 2-2-1 in nine starts and earned $91,850 racing in Kentucky in 2020.
Prayer Bell’s second foal, the Verrazano filly Chic Bella, sold for $30,000 at the 2017 Keeneland September sale and $50,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May 2-year-olds in training sale.
Prayer Bell went through the Keeneland ring one more time, in 2018 at the November sale in foal carrying Diamond Digger in utero, and sold to Milfer Farm for $57,000.
Endnotes:- [Image]: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Diamond-Diggerweb1.jpg
- [Image]: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/wp-content/uploads/2021/09/Diamond-Diggerweb2.jpg
Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2021/09/09/diamond-digger-runs-record-to-4-for-4-in-winnipeg-futurity/