Diamond King Gamest of All in Stymie

SOUTH OZONE PARK, NY – Cash is King and LC Racing’s Diamond King proved to be gamest of all runners, putting on a gutsy, front-running effort to win Saturday’s $125,000 Stymie Stakes at Aqueduct.

Breaking from post 6 under Kendrick Carmouche as the 4/1 third choice, Diamond King effortlessly put himself on the lead while Joevia and Stan the Man raced to his inside. Running three abreast down the backstretch, Diamond King held a narrow lead through opening fractions of :23.93, :47.23, and 1:12.12.

Heading into the far turn, Joevia began fading, but American Anthem soon joined the party, running up along Diamond King’s outside. Undeterred by foes on either side, Diamond King pressed onward and held a narrow lead at the top of the stretch.

American Anthem was all out trying to take the lead, but Diamond King refused to yield and held safely through to the wire. The John Servis trainee crossed 1 1/4 lengths clear in a final time of 1:38.04 for the mile-long event over the fast main track.

“I was sitting comfortable,” Carmouche said. “I didn’t want to make the lead too early. Around the turn, I asked him to go because (American Anthem) was putting pressure on me, so I just let my horse run away from the other ones. He never really took off. I thought I had more horse, but he kept me there and I just kept motivating him.”

American Anthem was relegated to second, 1 1/4 lengths ahead of Backsideofthemoon. Fourth went to Lone Rock, while behind him came the 2/1 favorite Wicked Trick, a tiring Stan the Man, and an empty Joevia to complete the order of finish.

Diamond King’s win was his first since taking a Gulfstream Park allowance event on March 22, 2019, and improved his overall record to 18-6-4-3. The 5-year-old son of Quality Road, purchased for $235,000 as a juvenile, has now earned $713,350.

“It was a very nice win,” Servis said. “The track is kind of deep and heavy I was a bit concerned with him coming off the layoff, but he ran really well. He was training really, really well. All I was concerned about was the track, but he handled it very well.”

Diamond King returned $10.20 to win, $5.80 to place, and $4.20 to show. American Anthem brought back $4.20 to place and $3.30 to show, while Backsideofthemoon paid $4.70 to show.