Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Chief Know It All to Zia Derby
VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Trainer Robertino Diodoro reported that Chief Know It All came out of his thrilling win in the Grade 3, $150,000 British Columbia Derby in excellent shape and would be pointed to the $200,000 Zia Park Derby on Nov. 22.
The Sept. 9 B.C. Derby lived up to its billing as a great race. A photo was needed to separate the first three finishers, with Chief Know It All winning the 1 1/8-mile race by a nose over Trooper John.
Riser was game in defeat, finishing a neck behind Trooper John after setting quick fractions over the sloppy surface.
“I’m still excited about the race,” said Diodoro. “I’ve watched the replay about a hundred times.”
Chief Know It All is still at Hastings, but Diodoro said he would be given a break before he went back into serious training.
“We’ll let him rest in Phoenix,” he said. “He’s had two hard races in a short span, so we want to do what’s best for the horse.”
Chief Know It All was coming off a win in the Grade 3 Canadian Derby on Aug. 19. It was his first start for Diodoro, who had claimed him for $100,000 at Churchill Downs on June 30. Diodoro won the 2011 Zia Park Derby with First Strike, whom he had claimed for $40,000 at Santa Anita out of his previous race. He finished third last year with Inside Straight, who was beaten less than a lengths.
“We should have won the Zia Derby last year, but Inside Straight had a brutal trip,” said Diodoro. “He only got beat by three-quarters of a length and would have won for fun with any kind of trip.”
Inside Straight went on to pull off a huge upset in the Grade 2 Oaklawn Handicap at Oaklawn Park on April 15.
Daz Lin Dawn to get winter off
Daz Lin Dawn will get a break following a spectacular meet at Hastings where she won all seven stakes for 3-year-old fillies.
According to jockey Richard Hamel, she didn’t care for the track when she edged Yukon Belle by a neck in the $100,000 British Columbia Oaks last Saturday.
“She won on heart,” said Hamel.
“She’s done enough,” said trainer Nancy Betts. “She’s going home sound. We’ll give her the winter off and bring her back next year.”
Trainer Barbara Heads said that Yukon Belle will be pointed to the Grade 3, $100,000 Ballerina Stakes on Oct. 8 at Hastings.
Also heading to the Ballerina is Notis the Jewell, who proved her upset win for owner-trainer Bill McLaren in the Pacific Customs Brokers Classic was no fluke when she beat heavily favored Victress in the $50,000 Delta Colleen.
“I was thinking of taking her to Phoenix, but if she wins the Ballerina I’ll have enough money for me to spend the winter there instead,” said McLaren.
Increases at CTHS sale
Numbers were up dramatically at the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society’s yearling and mixed sale, held Tuesday at Thunderbird Show Park.
The $18,523 average for the 71 yearlings sold was up by 31 percent compared to last year, when the average price for a yearling was $14,130. The total of $1,315,100 was up by 63 percent. Last year 57 yearlings were sold for $805,400.
The median price of $9,000 was 12.5 percent above last year.
The sale-topper went to Mike Whieldon, who shelled out $108,000 for Hip No. 50. The Kentucky-bred bay filly by Orb is the third foal out of the Arch mare Journeyofalifetime. She was consigned by Whitewood Farm.
“We were thrilled with the results,” said BJ Davidson, regional general manager for
the CTHS. “It was a great sale for the consigners and the industry as a whole. It was very rewarding for all of the people who worked so hard to make it successful.”
Sorry about nothing may factor
Sunday is the second day of the inaugural HBPA Claiming Championship Series at Hastings. Not all of the eight races carded are part of the series, however, and Sunday’s feature is a $25,000 open claiming race for 3-year-olds and up. To be eligible for the Championship Series, horses must have started twice for the price of the race they enter, and at least one of the qualifying races had to be at Hastings.
Sorryaboutnothing isn’t eligible for the series and will run in the day’s 6 1/2-furlong feature, where he seeks his first victory since taking them all the way in last year’s B.C. Derby.
Sorryaboutnothing really hasn’t been competitive in any of his races since he won the derby and probably won’t be favored in Sunday’s sevenhorse field.
He was also a very dull horse going into the derby, but he tipped his hand with a sharp five-furlong work five days before the race.
After looking average in the mornings all year, Sorryaboutnothing was on a mission when he worked five furlongs in 1:00.40 over a sloppy track with exercise-rider Scott Williams aboard Sunday.
He could be tough to handle if he breaks on top from post 6 with Amadeo Perez riding.
If Sorryaboutnothing doesn’t break alertly, The Odds R Good will be the one they have to run down. The 5-year-old son of Cause to Believe is coming off a front-running win in a $16,000 claiming race Aug. 21.