NEWS
Madman Diaries digs in for game Sapling win
Posted: Saturday, September 04, 2010 8:04 PM
MADMAN DIARIES (right) OUTFINISHES VENGEFUL WILDCAT
To view the Sapling Stakes, click here.
by Myra Lewyn
Madman Diaries dictated the pace and dug in gamely to repel a determined challenge from Vengeful Wildcat in the stretch and win the $153,000 Sapling Stakes (G3) on Saturday at Monmouth Park.
The Bring the Heat gelding won by a half-length to earn his first graded stakes win. All four of his previous starts had come on the synthetic Polytrack surfaces at Woodbine and Keeneland Race Course and he turned in an impressive performance on Saturday when trying dirt for the first time.
“I was pretty confident in him,” said trainer Wesley Ward, who bred and co-owns Madman Diaries with Robert Teel. “He’s been breezing up at Saratoga [Race Course] and had me convinced he can run on dirt. That’s why we took a shot here.”
Madman Diaries seized command soon after the start and led by 1½ lengths while clocking the opening quarter in :22.43 as Tyro Stakes winner Vengeful Wildcat chased from third after stumbling badly at the start. Vengeful Wildcat trimmed his advantage to a half-length as Madman Diaries covered a half-mile in :46.47, then fully engaged the leader nearing the eighth pole.
Madman Diaries found a little more energy when called upon by jockey Jeffrey Sanchez to hold back the challenge and gamely scored in 1:11.64 for the six furlongs as the 5.80-to-1 fifth wagering choice in the field of eight two-year-olds.
Vengeful Wildcat outfinished Chipshot by a neck for second, and Maybesomaynot, the only graded stakes winner in the field, finished fourth as the 2.40-to-1 favorite after stalking from sixth early.
Madman Diaries finished second in a maiden race at Keeneland in April to launch his career, but roared back to set a track record of :51.13 for 4½ furlongs while breaking his maiden by 9¾ lengths at Woodbine on May 9. He followed by capturing the Victoria Stakes in a 9¼-length romp on June 19 and entered off a runner-up finish on July 17 in the six-furlong Colin Stakes, both at Woodbine.
Florida-bred Madman Diaries is the first graded stakes winner for Florida-based sire Bring the Heat. He is out of the unraced Outflanker mare Harper N Abbey.
For an Equibase chart, click here.
Myra Lewyn is a Thoroughbred Times TODAY editor
