MALDONADO & BROCKLEBANK TEAM FOR 5 ½ FURLONG TALLY IN 1:03.54
(Benoit Photo)
GREEN WITH EDDIE RUNS SECOND AS CAL-BREDS FINISH 1-2 IN CLOSING WEEKEND FEATURE
ARCADIA, Calif. (July 9, 2016)—A close third, two lengths off the lead with a quarter mile to run, aptly named California Diamond wheeled three-wide turning for home and kept to his task in game fashion en route to a three quarter length upset win in Saturday’s $125,000 Santa Anita Juvenile Stakes for 2-year-olds at 5 ½ furlongs. Ridden by Edwin Maldonado and trained by John Brocklebank, the California-bred colt by Harbor the Gold got the distance in 1:03.54.
“He’s very game, this horse,” said Brocklebank, who registered his first Santa Anita stakes win. “We love California Diamond, but he is for sale (Barretts/Del Mar Paddock, next Friday). Today, he was sharper than in his last out. He trained sharp all week. We didn’t do a whole lot with him after his first win. Luis Mendez, my assistant, has done a great job with him.”
A first-out maiden winner going five furlongs versus statebreds here on June 17, California Diamond, who broke sharply from the far outside in a field of six, was off at 6-1 and paid $15.20, $5.00 and $3.00. Owned by the Brocklebank family’s Twin V Farm, California Diamond is now perfect in two starts and with the winner’s take of $75,000, he increased his earnings to $108,600.
“The minute he left the gate like that, I knew I had a great shot to win,” said Maldonado. “I want to thank John for doing a great job…He broke a little slow in his first out, so I kind of had to rush him, but today, he was push button.”
Ridden by Flavien Prat, California-bred Green With Eddie, who broke from post position two, dueled with Right Hand Man from the break, shook loose a furlong out but couldn’t withstand the late surge of the winner and finished second, 2 ½ lengths clear of Silver Assault.
Off as the 2-1 favorite, Green With Eddie completed the Cal-bred exacta and paid $3.80 and $2.60.
“He tried real hard and he ran a good race,” said Prat. “I wish I could’ve waited a little longer, but that’s the way the race set up.”
The third choice at 5-2, unlucky Silver Assault broke a bit slow from his number four post and was last by about eight lengths turning for home, but rallied wide-out to finish third by a neck over Secret House in a big effort.
Ridden by Martin Garcia, Silver Assault paid $2.60 to show.
Fractions on the race were 21.68, 44.62 and 57 flat.
With a Pick Six carryover of $75,126 awaiting fans, first post time on Sunday, closing day of the 40-day Spring Meet, is at 1:30 p.m. Admission gates open at 11:30 a.m.