A Diamond(rella) in the Rough

Ok folks, it is time for another Zipse Special. For those of you slightly uninitiated in the ways of Zipse, a Zipse Special is a Breeders’ Cup entrant who will not be favored, but is the horse I consider the most likely winner of the race. Simply stated, put a sawbuck or two on one of these runners and watch your greenbacks grow. (By the way, I sincerely apologize for jamming my last name into the first two sentences a ridiculous three times.) We find the excellent bet, featured in today’s column, in Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint. This race will be wide open and it will have a full field, but there is one horse that I am excited to bet. Her name is Diamondrella. In the past two years, Diamondrella has proved nearly flawless, winning 7 of 9 races . On turf, her record shines even brighter, with 7 victories in 8 tries. In her last seven races on the grass, Diamondrella has won every time. Her lone loss on the lawn the past two years was when she finished 2nd by a head in her first start of 2008. In all of these races she has been ridden by Rajiv Maragh, who has quietly become one of the best jockeys in the nation. This 5-year-old daughter of the brilliant Rock of Gibraltar, has proven that she can win on any type of course condition. With this gaudy record, you may choose to question her competition. While it is true that she has only run against females, Diamondrella has proven her class this year, as she has twice beaten the defending champion turf mare, Forever Together. I also assert that a turf sprint is one of the most logical places for a femme fatale to defeat the men. Diamondrella has the push-button speed to win stakes at 5 ½ furlongs and the relentless drive to beat top quality horses at a flat mile. The BC Turf Sprint is a distance almost exactly in between at 6 ½ furlongs, giving the Angel Penna Jr. trained Miss plenty of time to make her patented rush. She will also benefit from the wicked pace that will be set by among others, the probable favorite California Flag, who blistered a half mile in an unheard of :41 and 4 in this race last year, before faltering late. If California Flag can set that type of pace and still be strong enough in the final furlong to win this race, then I say, more power to him. I, for one, will not be expecting a front runner to win this race. I foresee scores of horses flying down the lane, and in my opinion, the best of the bunch is Diamondrella. Besides the attractive wagering opportunity that she represents, I project her at 8-1, there is good reason to have a rooting interest in the bay mare. A win by Diamondrella would be the first for her trainer Penna and jockey Maragh, both of whom are masters of their trade to a level one would expect Breeders’ Cup glory in the very near future. A Diamondrella victory would also be sweet redemption for her sire Rock Of Gibraltar, who was one of the unluckiest BC losers in history, when he was left at the gate from an outside post, was checked, and came flying to be 2nd by ¾ of a length in the 2002 Breeders’ Cup Mile. One last reason for many to hope that Diamondrella can win the Breeders’ Cup Sprint…she is a girl running against the boys. We have seen that a few times this year and isn’t it always fun?