Presious Passion repeats in Mac Diarmida, punches ticket to Dubai

Presious Passion repeats in Mac Diarmida, punches ticket to

Dubai

Patricia A. Generazio's PRESIOUS PASSION (Royal Anthem) put on another

front-running clinic in Sunday's $150,000

Mac

Diarmida S. (G2), becoming the first two-time winner of the turf feature at

Gulfstream Park. With this tightener successfully out of the way, the Mary

Hartmann charge is now set to take his show on the road for the Dubai Sheema

Classic (UAE-G1) on March 27.

Unlike last year's Mac Diarmida, when Presious Passion had to battle for all

he was worth to hang on by a desperate half-length, the seven-year-old gelding

enjoyed a much more straightforward tour of the circuit this time. Indeed, most

of the suspense came before the race. Because the turf course was listed as

good, not the firm ground that Presious Passion prefers, there was a possibility

that he might be scratched. Hartmann decided to let him take his chance, and he

handled the prevailing conditions well.

Under good handling by regular rider Elvis Trujillo, the 8-5 favorite shot to

his usual daylight lead and rattled off splits of :23 3/5, :47 2/5 and 1:13. The

field began to gain on him nearing the far turn, but Presious Passion was just

on cruise control. After getting a mile in 1:37 3/5, the popular chestnut swung

into the stretch still in command, and he reached the 1 1/4-mile mark in 2:02.

The only challenge came from Winchester (Theatrical [Ire]), who mounted a

sustained rally down the stretch. Although Winchester was steadily inching

closer, Presious Passion kept finding more and never looked like being caught.

The winner's margin had been whittled down to 1 1/4 lengths at the wire.

Presious Passion stopped the teletimer in 2:13 2/5 for 1 3/8 miles, paying

$5.20, $3.20 and $2.60 to his supporters.

"Everything went very nice today," Trujillo said. "The horse broke sharp and

was very relaxed, and that was very good for the horse. Every time he goes right

to the lead, and you just hope things go easy. Then at the three-eighths, you

put him in the bit, and he just goes on. (The turf) was perfect today. There

were no problems (with the turf condition)."

"We were concerned earlier in the day that the course might be less than

firm," Hartmann said, "but after discussing it with Mr. (Generazio) we decided

to go ahead and run, and that it would be better looking ahead to Dubai to have

a race than not, although we planned to go anyhow and train him up to that race

if necessary.

"He only had the one workout since his last race (fifth in the December 26 W.

L. McKnight H. [G2]), but as they get older they don't need to do as much. It's

become his pattern. We're ready to go now if everything goes all right."

Winchester, the 2-1 second choice, returned $3 and $2.40 for his commendable

effort in second. The nearly 5-1 Feels All Right (Ire) (Danehill Dancer) rallied

from last to garner third, another two lengths back, and furnished $3.40 in his

American debut. The exotics were worth $13.80 (exacta), $49.60 (trifecta) and

$332.80 (4-2-7-5 superfecta) with Bearpath (Dynaformer) checking in fourth.

Expansion (Maria's Mon), Gabriel's Hill (A. P. Indy) and Thou Swell (Aptitude)

rounded out the order of finish. Sr. Henry (Straight Man) and main-track only

entrant Imawildandcrazyguy (Wild Event) were scratched.

Presious Passion's 11th career stakes score advanced his mark to 44-14-7-2,

$2,666,293. This is the third time that he has recorded back-to-back victories

in major stakes. In addition to his Mac Diarmida trophies, he has also captured

the last two runnings of the United Nations S. (G1) at Monmouth Park, where he

smashed the course record in 2009, along with the 2007-08 editions of the W. L.

McKnight at Calder.

He has also landed the 2009 Clement L. Hirsch Memorial Turf Championship S.

(G1) and Monmouth S., the 2008 Pan American H. (G3), the 2007 Cliff Hanger S.

(G3) and the 2006 Jersey Derby. Presious Passion has placed in six other stakes,

including a narrow runner-up effort to Conduit (Ire) in the Breeders' Cup Turf

(G1) at Santa Anita last November. He was bidding for an unprecedented

three-peat in the McKnight last out when he tired to a subpar fifth.

Bred in Florida by Joseph and Helen Barbazon, the winner is the first

registered foal from the unraced Marquetry mare Princesa's Passion, who also has

an unnamed yearling colt by Medaglia d'Oro. This is the family of multiple Grade

1 victor Bemo (Maribeau), hero of the 1977 United Nations.

Presious Passion, along with the rest of the South Florida-based contingent

bound for Dubai, is scheduled to fly out on March 16.