Perfect trip helped Dust and Diamonds bag the Gallant Bloom Handicap
Steven Asmussen had an amazing 22nd September, as My Miss Aurelia edged past the dangerous, multiple grade 1 winning filly, Questing to win the Grade 1, $1 million Cotillion Stakes, but prior to that, an upset that would have shook Asmussen a
little was, Dust and Diamonds at 12 to 1 spurring up an upset to win the Grade 2, $200,000 Gallant Bloom Handicap against better-known rivals by 1 ¼ lengths at Belmont Park.
The 4-year-old Vindication filly was aiming for an automatic berth in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, and she got it by keeping Judy the Beauty adrift by a considerable margin.
Winner of the 2011 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint, Musical Romance was also part of the Gallant Bloom Handicap lineup, along with the multiple grade 1 winning, Turbulent Descent, but both fillies were never a factor in the 6 ½ furlong sprint.
Padua Stables’ homebred, Dust and Diamonds has dwelled in allowance optional claimers in the past, but given an opportunity in the Dashing Beauty Stakes at Delaware Park on 21 July, she didn’t disappoint and posted a 5 ¾ length victory.
“We’ve spent a lot of time with her, and she’s done really well and blossomed here," said Toby Sheets, Asmussen's assistant. "(We) haven’t discussed (future plans); we were just focusing on this race and this moment. We’ll see how she comes out of it and
go from there.”
Coupled with French jockey, Julian Leparoux, Dust and Diamonds settled comfortably second just behind Roman Treasure, who set up the pace, and carved an impressing opening quarter mile in 21.82 seconds, while keeping Dust in Diamonds adrift by 2 lengths.
Covering half-mile in 44.87 seconds, Roman Treasure started to wilt, and not a single protagonist used it to her advantage, but the charge came from an unlikely source, Dust and Diamonds, who closed in on the turn.
Out of Gone West mare Majestically, Dust and Diamonds soon shook loose, and developed a 2 length lead in the mid-stretch that helped her lead the rest of the way.
Grade 1 Prioress Stakes runner-up, Judy the Beauty, finished second yet again, as Musical Romance finished a non-threatening third.
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