by Ron Parker

Puglisi Racing’s Sky Diva powered to a 3 3/4-length victory in the $400,000 Frizette Stakes (G1) at Belmont Park and affirmed trainer Steve Klesaris’s opinion that she is a special filly.

Sky Diva entered the Frizette off a ten-length win in her career debut, a maiden special weight race in the slop on September 9 at Delaware Park. The Frizette victory cemented a starting spot in the Bessemer Trust Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) on October 24 at Oak Tree at Santa Anita Park as part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” series.

“We’ve thought very highly of her for a while,” said Klesaris, who added that a trip west for the Breeders’ Cup is a strong possibility. “We’ve liked this filly from day one; we knew she was special from the first day.”

 Gemswick Park set the pace for the first three quarters of the one-mile race, which drew ten two-year-old fillies.

Jockey Ramon Dominguez allowed Sky Diva to relax in the second flight after a sluggish start, and the Sky Mesa filly began to pick up horses with a sweeping, four-wide move on the turn. Sky Diva easily took the lead and widened her advantage under a hand ride, completing one mile in 1:37.40 on a track rated as fast.

“She didn’t really get off too sure, I mean, she wasn’t the quickest,” Dominguez said. “But she is just an unbelievable filly. She’s a big, big filly and she puts herself into the race with no effort for as big as she is. She just takes off like she’s coming out of a gun.”

Persistently, favored at 11-to-10, closed ground late to take second, two lengths clear of Gemswick Park.

Bred in Kentucky by John Murphy, Sky Diva boosted her earnings to $264,000. Out of the Unbridled mare Swift Girl, she is a half sister to Grade 1-placed stakes winner Quick Little Miss. She is from the female family of Grade 1 winner Pure Clan and Grade 2 winner Greater Good.

For an Equibase chart, click here.

Ron Parker is a Thoroughbred Times contributing writer