Running Memories Keeps on Running for Double Diamond Farm

Sunday, September 11, 2022

Bernies Blog

HALLANDALE BEACH - Stall applications for the 2022-2023 Championship Meet at Gulfstream Park, featuring the Gr. I Pegasus World Cup Invitational, Gr. I Pegasus World Cup Turf, the Gr. I Florida Derby, and three Gr. IIs, theFountain of Youth, Gulfstream Park Oaks and Gulfstream Park Mile – and a new turf course – are due Saturday, Sept. 24.

The Championship Meet will begin Monday, Dec. 26.

Running Memories Back on Track in North Miami

Donald Dizney’s Running Memories returned to winning form with a speedy and gutsy victory in the $55,000 North Miami Handicap. The winner of back-to-back handicaps on turf and Tapeta at Gulfstream before venturing to Lone Star, where she finished a troubled fifth in the Chicken Fried Stakes on turf, Running Memories made a victorious return in the five-furlong overnight handicap for fillies and mares on Tapeta.

The Joe Orseno-trained Bahamian Squall 4-year-old filly pressed the pace set by archival Miss Auramet past swift fractions of :21.21 and :44.39 seconds for the first half-mile. The 6-5 favorite sped past a tiring Miss Auramet to open up a clear lead in mid-stretch, only to be met with a strong outside challenge by Poseidon’s Passion inside the 16th-pole. Running Memories dug deep to hold off the challenge by a neck.

“She was doing so well and we really want to win a stake with her so we took her to Texas," Orseno said. "She bruised her foot in that race and didn’t get the chance to run her race, and a horse took her position away. She just didn’t get a chance to run. It’s a shame. From there she went to the farm for a week and came back to me, and we got her ready.”

Running Memories ran five furlongs in :56.51 seconds to capture her eighth race in 16 career starts while winning her third race in four starts over the all-weather surface. Poseidon’s Passion was 3 ¾ lengths clear of third-place finisher Quinoa Tifah.

“My filly is probably about 80 percent what she was before she left for Texas. This will put her back to 100 percent,” said Orseno, who will be on the lookout for a turf or Tapeta stakes for Running Memories’ next start.