After selling for a sales-topping $1.7 million at the OBS March Sale, much was expected from Diamondsandpearls, and the 2-year-old Congrats filly didn’t disappoint her connections in her five furlong maiden special weight debut July 2 at Santa Anita Park.
The sparkling victory earned Diamondsandpearls a TDN Rising Star tag, the fourth such designation for her sire.
Trained by Bob Baffert for Phoenix Thoroughbred III Ltd, Diamondsandpearls sprang out of the gate and was up by two lengths in just a few strides. Mike Smith let the dark bay settle into a nice rhythm, then gave her a little nudge at the top of the stretch, and she rocketed away from the field to win completely relaxed by about eight lengths in :58.03 on a fast main track.
Diamondsandpearls’ $1.7 million sale price topped the OBS March Sale and is also the top price paid this year at any North American auction for a 2-year-old filly. She was bred in Kentucky by Todd & Chad Frederick and Phoenix Farm & Racing and is the third foal out of the unraced Dixie Union mare Azalea Belle, whose dam Westerly Breeze won the Alcibiades S. (G2) at two.
Congrats, a perennial leading sire of winners, has had seven in the past week, including stakes winner Pat On the Back. Congrats’ 90 winners to date this year ranks sixth on the 2017 General Sire list.
