Dust and Diamonds Cashes in at Gulfstream

Dust and Diamonds produced a quick return on her purchase at auction in November with an easy victory in the $100,000 Sugar Swirl Stakes (gr. III) at Gulfstream Park Dec. 8 (VIDEO) .

The 4-year-old Kentucky-bred filly by Vindication out of the Gone West mare Majestically is owned by Borges Torreabla Holdings and Three Chimneys Farm. She was purchased for $900,000 by Borges Torrealba Holdings from the Three Chimneys consignment at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November sale.

In her previous start, Dust and Diamonds finished second to Groupie Doll, the probable filly and mare sprint champion of 2012, in the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (gr. I) at Santa Anita Park for trainer Steve Asmussen. She has since moved into the barn of Todd Pletcher.

With John Velazquez riding, the 123-pound highweight Dust and Diamonds dueled with front-running Honey Chile in the Sugar Swirl before taking over on the far turn and drawing away to win by 2 3/4 lengths. Farnsworth Stables' Golden Mystery rallied wide for second, 1 1/4 lengths ahead of Nakano in third. Sacristy was fourth, with Honey Chile and Hearts of Red trailing.

Dust and Diamonds covered six furlongs in a swift 1:08.66 on a fast track following earlier quarter mile fractions of :22.92 and :45.17. The Gulfstream record of 1:08.11 was set by Big Drama in 2011.

The winner paid $3 as the heavy favorite in a field of six.

"She broke really well and it was pretty easy," Velazquez said. "Once she broke I just set my hands down and held her together. The horse on the outside didn't have the speed and didn't break very good, so I just held my ground and kept her farther out of there just to hold my position good and not have her move too soon.

"I just sat until the three-eighths pole and gave her head, and the rest was easy. She's a nice horse."

"I'm very pleased," Pletcher said. "I don't know what else she could have done, running six furlongs in 1:08-and-3 and winning under a hand ride."

Dust and Diamonds, bred by previous owner Padua Stables, has now won six of 11 starts with one second and four thirds for earnings of $496,260. The filly has never finished worse than third, and in September won the grade II Gallant Bloom Handicap at Aqueduct Racetrack.