HALLANDALE BEACH - JSM Equine’s Haute Diva minded her manners Saturday at Gulfstream Park, the often high-strung filly running up to her potential with an eye-catching last-to-first rally in the $100,000 Martha Washington Stakes.

    Returning from a two-month freshening since her pre-race behavior compromised her efforts in the Gr. II Gulfstream Park Oaks and Gr. II Davona Dale during the Championship Meet, the Patrick Biancone-trained daughter of Constitution saved her energy for the 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-old fillies on Tapeta. Ridden for the first time by a visiting Keith Asmussen, Haute Diva ($7.80) made a sweeping move on the far turn, circled the field into the stretch and fought off a stretch challenge from Mia Familia to prevail by a half-length.

    “She’s very talented,” Biancone said. “The owner was nice enough to get a nice long break with her and re-group everything. Keith came to work her in the morning, and she really liked him, so he came to ride her. She was perfect in the parade. She did everything right, so now we can start to look for something bigger for her on dirt.” 

    Haute Diva, who won the mile Cash Run on dirt at Gulfstream prior to her off-the-board finishes in the Gulfstream Park Oaks and Davona Dale, ran 1 1/16 miles in 1:43.23. Mia Familia finished 2 ½ lengths ahead of Bayou Brigid. Haute Diva had been training sharply at Palm Meadows, Gulfstream’s satellite training facility in Palm Beach County, where she produced a ‘bullet’ half-mile breeze in 47 2/5 seconds.

    “I’ve been lucky enough that Patrick has allowed me to get on her multiple times in the morning. He’s obviously thought a lot about this filly. I think his optimism bleeds over to me,” said Asmussen, who is engaged to Biancone’s daughter, Andie. “I had the world of confidence in her going into this race. She cane be fairly sensitive. The Instructions going into the race were: ‘just don’t let run her race before we get to the gate. Just keep her quiet.”

    The Churchill Downs-based Asmussen also rode Biancone-trained Elegante Miz ($12) to a debut victory in Race 2, a five-furlong maiden special weight for 2-year-olds.

    The Martha Washington was the first of three stakes on Saturday’s Gulfstream card

    Saint George’s Rolando ($9.60) narrowly won the $100,000 Big Drama, a seven-furlong sprint for older horses carded as Race 10. The Fausto Gutierrez-trained 4-year-old son of Vekoma saved ground while following pacesetter Concrete Glory during fractions of 22.48 seconds for a quarter-mile and 45 seconds for a half-mile before being taken off the rail to go after and quickly pass the leader entering the stretch. Rolando fought off an inside challenge from Back Em Up nearing the finish to prevail by a nose.

    Rolando ran seven furlongs in 1:22.85 under Diego Herrera, who rode four winners on the 11-race program. Back Em Up edged Pure Class by a neck for second.

    Herrera came right back in Race 11 to guide Paterpop Racing’s Chicken Dance ($15.60) to victory in the $100,000 Not Surprising, a 1 1/16-mile stakes for 3-year-olds on Tapeta.

    Chicken Dance saved ground while rating off the pace set by Bolero Boy, the 6-5 favorite who set a comfortable pace under Miguel Vazquez with fractions of 24 seconds for a quarter-mile and 48.35 seconds for a half-mile. Herrera bided his time aboard Chicken Dance before finding a way off the rail leaving the turn into the stretch.  The son of Neolithic kicked in powerfully through the stretch run to catch Bolero Boy in deep stretch to score by 1 ¼ lengths.

    Chicken Dance ran 1 1/16-miles on the all-weather surface in 1:42.66 to follow up an optional claiming allowance victory under Herrera in his previous start. Bolero Boy finished two lengths clear of third-place finisher Khon Han. comments powered by Disqus