Madman Diaries had proven that he was a top-notch sprinter on synthetic surfaces by romping to a 9 ¼-length victory in the Victoria Stakes at Woodbine in June. But prior to the $153,000 Sapling Stakes (G3) at Monmouth Park on Saturday, the Florida-bred gelding had never run on dirt.
Madman Diaries handled the surface switch in style, digging in gamely down the stretch for a half-length victory in his graded stakes debut. The horse, bred, trained and co-owned by Wesley Ward, got his third win from five career starts and boosted his bankroll to $247,822.
“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.”
Madman Diaries broke alertly from the rail under Jeffrey Sanchez and sped to the lead, taking the field of eight juveniles through a quarter-mile in 22.43 seconds and a half-mile in 46.47. He was pressured throughout the six-furlong sprint by Vengeful Wildcat and jockey Carlos H. Marquez Jr., who were just a head behind the leader at the top of the lane.
Vengeful Wildcat seemed poised to overtake Madman Diaries with a furlong left to run, but Madman Diaries hung on to win Monmouth’s top race for 2-year-olds in 1:11.64. He paid $13.60, $6.80 and $5.60. Vengeful Wildcat returned $4.20 and $3.20 after finishing a neck ahead of Florida-bred Chipshot. Maybesomaybenot, the winner of the Sanford Stakes (G2) at Saratoga in July, ran fourth.
Madman Diaries, co-owned by Robert Teel, has been a part of the exacta in all five of his starts, including a runner-up effort behind Glory Game in the $150,000 Colin Stakes at Woodbine in July. He’s a son of Bring the Heat, a stallion standing at Ward Ranch in Ocala.
Chipshot, a son of Peace Rules bred by Miami Beach’s William P. Sorren, has one win from five starts for $69,280. Trained by Steve Asmussen for Vinery Stables and Ed Glasscock, the colt won a $75,000 maiden special weight race at Monmouth in June before finishing fifth in the Sanford.
Also at Monmouth on Saturday, Grecian Maiden won the $97,500 Twin Lights Stakes by a nose over Profiteroles, finishing the nine-furlong turf race in 1:48.38. Grecian Maiden ($21.40) has won three of her six starts and earned $119,980 for trainer Michael Trombetta and breeder/owner Marathon Farms Inc.
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Bill Denver Photo
