Skye Diamonds becomes legit Breeders’ Cup hopeful

CYPRESS, Calif. – On Breeders’ Cup weekend at Santa Anita last fall, Skye Diamonds finished second in an optional claimer at seven furlongs, two races after she had been claimed for $40,000 in August.

This year, Skye Diamonds may run in a Breeders’ Cup race.

After winning the Grade 2 Great Lady M. Stakes at Los Alamitos on Saturday, Skye Diamonds is a realistic contender for the BC Filly and Mare Sprint at Del Mar at seven furlongs Nov. 4.

“That’s a good distance for her,” trainer Bill Spawr said in the winner’s circle after the Great Lady M.

Spawr organized the claim of Skye Diamonds the first time the California-bred had appeared for a tag. Skye Diamonds was sixth in the Evening Jewel Stakes at Santa Anita in April 2016 and did not start again until the $40,000 claimer, a race at 6 1/2 furlongs that she won.

“She was consistent before the bad race,” Spawr said. “We look at horses all the time, and she looked good to me.”

Since being claimed, Skye Diamonds has won 5 of 7 starts and earned $329,100.

A 4-year-old by First Dude, Skye Diamonds won the Dream of Summer Stakes for California-bred fillies and mares at a mile on dirt at Santa Anita in March and was second in the Grade 3 Adoration Stakes to the Grade 1 winner Vale Dori in early May in her first start in a graded stakes.

Tiago Pereira has been Skye Diamonds’s regular rider since she was claimed.

“She was quirky, and he got along with her,” Spawr said of Pereira. “He knew her and likes her.”

In the Great Lady M. Stakes at 6 1/2 furlongs, Skye Diamonds finished 2 1/2 lengths in front of Constellation, the winner of the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes at seven furlongs for 3-yearold fillies at Santa Anita last December. Finest City, the 2016 champion female sprinter and the winner of the BC Filly and Mare Sprint last November, was third, beaten 4 3/4 lengths.

Skye Diamonds could run in the Grade 3 Rancho Bernardo Handicap for fillies and mares at 6 1/2 furlongs at Del Mar on Aug. 13. A win there would confirm her status as a leading female sprinter on the West Coast and further justify the goal of starting in the Breeders’ Cup.

Trainer Ian Kruljac said Sunday that Finest City could be raced sparingly, if at all, before the BC Filly and Mare Sprint.

“She’ll make the Breeders’ Cup, and we want to see how we do it,” he said. “We’ll sit down in a few weeks.

“She could do with a breather. She’s had a long campaign. I don’t see what the issue is to go into the race fresh.”

Ambitious Brew versatile

Ambitious Brew has a sixpack of stakes wins in turf sprints and dirt races at a mile. His ability to adapt to different surfaces and distances has given owner Pamela Ziebarth and trainer Marty Jones numerous options.

Ambitious Brew was scheduled to start in the $100,000 Lennyfrommalibu Stakes for California-breds on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita on July 4, but the race was canceled by track management because it drew too few entries.

Another opportunity was right around the corner. Ambitious Brew on Saturday won the $100,690 Bertrando Stakes for California-bred milers on dirt at Los Alamitos for his second stakes win of 2017. He won the Sensational Star Stakes on the hillside turf course in February.

“He can run a mile on the grass, on synthetic, or dirt,” Jones said. “He’s a special horse. He has been a pleasure to train.”

Ambitious Brew was bred by Ziebarth and has won 9 of 25 starts and earned $669,425.

While Ambitious Brew won a division of the Grade 3 Eddie D Stakes on the hillside turf course last September, the 7-year-old has struggled in the most prestigious races of his career. In the last 13 months, Ambitious Brew has started in two Grade 1 races at Santa Anita, finishing sixth in the Triple Bend Stakes for sprinters on dirt in June 2016 and 13th in the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint on the hillside course last November.

“I wish he would have accomplished a little more in the Grade 1s, but on the biggest days, it hasn’t worked out,” Jones said.

Ambitious Brew is likely to target California-bred races next. The $150,000 California Dreamin’ Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on turf July 29 is an option, as is the E.B. Johnston Stakes at Los Alamitos on dirt in September.

“He does appreciate time between races,” Jones said.