|
Madman gets loose, holds on in Sapling
 |
| Madman Diaries (inside)
would not be denied in his dirt debut
(Bill Denver/Equi-Photo) |
Any questions surrounding MADMAN DIARIES' (Bring the Heat) ability to handle
dirt were answered as he pulled off the mild upset in Saturday's $153,000
Sapling
S. (G3) at Monmouth Park. Though one of only three stakes winners in the
field of eight juveniles, there were enough suspicions about Madman Diaries, who
had raced exclusively on Polytrack prior to the Sapling, that he was sent off
the 5-1 fifth choice.
Breaking swiftly from the inside post, Madman Diaries sped off to lead by 1
1/2 lengths after an opening quarter in :22 2/5. While his lead was cut to a
half-length as he passed the quarter pole in :46 2/5, Madman Diaries was
cleverly floated off the inside by Jeffrey Sanchez at the top of the stretch,
turned back a challenge from 5-2 second choice Vengeful Wildcat (Vindication) in
deep stretch and gutted out a half-length victory. The final time for six
furlongs over the fast main track was 1:11 3/5.
Vengeful Wildcat stumbled badly at the start but recovered quickly to assume
a three-wide stalking position down the backside. He moved up alongside the
winner inside the final sixteenth but could not close the deal in a good effort.
He finished a neck in front of 9-2 fourth choice Chipshot (Peace Rules), whose
stretch rally inside Madman Diaries failed to gain much traction. A length
behind Chipshot in fourth was 2-1 favorite Maybesomaybenot (Sunday Break [Jpn]),
who was exiting a win in the Sanford S. (G2) at Saratoga.
|
Madman Diaries paid $13.60, $6.80 and $5.60. Vengeful Wildcat returned $4.20
and $3.20, while Chipshot gave back $4.40. The exotics were worth $80.20
(exacta), $413.20 (trifecta) and $1,131,80 (1-4-8-9 superfecta). Finishing in
the second half of the field were Nacho Saint (Yes It's True), J J's Lucky Train
(Silver Train), Printing Press (Tapit) and Another Silver Oak (Bluegrass Cat).
Brother in Arms (Yes It's True) was scratched.
Second by a half-length in his debut at Keeneland in April, Madman Diaries
stayed on Polytrack for his next three starts, all at Woodbine. He broke his
maiden by 9 3/4 lengths, and followed up with a nearly identical score in the
Victoria S. However, his luck turned south when finishing second by two lengths
in the July 17 Colin S. at odds of 1-5. With this second stakes triumph, the
gelding boosted his bankroll to $247,822 for trainer Wesley Ward, who co-owns
the multiple stakes winner with Robert Teel.
"I was pretty confident in him," Ward said. "He's been breezing up at
Saratoga and had me convinced he can run on dirt, that's why we took a shot
here."
Bred in Florida by Ward, Madman Diaries is out of the unraced Harper N Abbey
(Outflanker), who has also produced a yearling full brother to the Sapling
winner. His second dam was the multiple Grade 3 winner Meafara (Meadowlake),
best known for running second by a neck in consecutive editions of the Breeders'
Cup Sprint (G1) in 1992 and 1993.
Send this article to a friend
| 
