Diamond Diva Faces Possible Retirement

Diamond Diva, who captured the CashCall  Mile Invitational Stakes (gr. IIT) and the Wilshire Handicap (gr. IIIT) in 2008, was shipped from California to Kentucky July 8 following the recurrence of a suspensory injury, according to Daily Racing Form. The 5-year-old daughter of Dansili will need a lengthy break of at least six months to recuperate, her trainer Jim Cassidy said, and possibly will be retired.

Bred in England and produced from the Indian Ridge mare Vivianna, Diamond Diva has earned $774,645 while winning six of her 18 career races. The dark bay or brown mare has finished second six times and third three times. Her efforts include a victory in the 2008 American Beauty Handicap in addition to her graded stakes wins. She also was second in the 2008 Gamely Stakes (gr. IT) and a third in this year’s Gamely. She finished second in this year’s Wilshire Handicap as well.

Trainer Jim Cassidy told Daily Racing Form he didn’t know if Diamond Diva’s owner, Three Chimneys Farm, would sell the mare this fall, retire her and then breed her in 2010, or return her to training in 2010. Diamond has raced for Three Chimneys since March 2008. She began her career in England, where she finished second in three stakes.