BY BROCK SHERIDAN

Wesley Ward – ©Coady Media

Trainer Wesley Ward, known for his prowess with 2-year-olds, won Sunday’s third race at Saratoga with Resolution Road Stables’ Florida-bred Diblasi, a gelded son of Ocala Stud’s popular second crop sire Win Win Win. Diblasi was the 9-5 favorite among five 2-year-olds going five-and-a-half furlongs in a $100,000 maiden special weight.

Sent to the post as the 9-5 favorite Sunday, Diblasi was away evenly before jockey Junior Alvarado allowed him to settle into third on the rail, two-and-a-half lengths behind frontrunner Gracie’s Delight, the 3-1 second choice who led through the first two furlongs in :22.28.

Diblasi was closed in while patiently saving ground around the turn as several rivals advanced on the outside. Gracie’s Delight went three-wide turning for home, allowing Diblasi to cut the corner and shoot to the front at the top of the stretch. He coasted home to win by three-and-a-half lengths in 1:04.65 on the fast track.

Diblasi was making his second start after a runner-up finish to stablemate Ohoopee as the 3-5 favorite in a four-and-a-half-furlong maiden special weight at Keeneland on April 13. That day Diblasi broke a step slow from the outside post then chased Ohoopee throughout to finish three lengths off the winner in second.

Bred in Florida by the late Brereton C. Jones, Diblasi has now earned $67,060 in his first two starts. He was a $100,000 purchase by Louis Dubois as agent at last year’s Keeneland September Yearling Sale where he was consigned by Airdrie Stud.

He is out of the winning Istan mare One More Minute, a full-sister to stakes-winner Chief Istan and a half-sister to stakes-placed Hay Field and stake-producer True Martha.

Return to the June 10 issue of Wire to Wire