Skye Diamonds Back on Top in G3 L. A. Woman

ARCADIA, CA – Winless in over a year, trainer Bill Spawr’s Skye Diamonds finally found her way back to victory lane in Sunday’s Grade 3, $100,000 L. A. Woman Stakes at Santa Anita Park.

Breaking from the rail under Tiago Pereira at 9/2 odds, Skye Diamonds settled off the pace into a stalking position while Yuvetsi and Anonymity dueled through opening fractions of :21.51 and :44.32. Ranging up three-wide into the front stretch, Skye Diamonds soon collared Anonymity before inching away steadily to win by 1 1/4 lengths in a final time of 1:16.56 for the 6 1/2-furlong sprint over the fast main track.

“My plan was to let Yuvetsi and Anonymity go because they’re fast and were clearly the speed,” said Pereira, who has ridden Skye Diamonds in 14 out of her last 15 starts. “But when I saw Show It N Moe It go, too, I loved it because that was good for me, too. I let them all go and was able to easily duck out to the outside (heading to the far turn).  By the 3/8 pole, she was pulling me, ready to go, so I let her. I just kept her focused down the lane, but she was full of run. It couldn’t have set up better for us.”

The prohibitive 3/5 betting favorite, Anonymity was clearly second-best, taking the place over Show It N Moe It by 4 1/4 lengths. Another 8 1/4 lengths came Classy Tune, while Yuvetsi weakened considerably before completing the order of finish some 18 lengths behind the winner.

Skye Diamonds’ win improved her overall record to 23-10-4-3 for owners Allen Racing, Bloom Racing Stables, Tom Acker, and Jon Lindo. The 5-year-old daughter of First Dude, who finished a respectable fourth in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, may target that event once more before retiring and entering the Fasig-Tipton auction ring.

“The way everything developed today, it was just perfect,” Lindo said. “We sent her last time and that was a mistake. Tiago knows her so well. Turning for home, I felt really confident because she just wants to beat you. As an owner, that’s an indescribable feeling.”

Skye Diamonds returned $11.20 to win, $3.40 to place, and $2.80 to show. Anonymity brought back $2.40 to place and $2.10 to show, while Show It N Moe It paid $3.60 to show.