Yellow Diamond wears first Crown

Yellow Diamond, the odds-on choice, opened up the rich, $5.1 million Breeders Crown evening at Woodbine on Saturday with a gutsy long neck score over Ginger And Fred in the $731,158 3-Year-Old Filly Pace.

Driven by Jim Morrill, Jr. for trainer Tracy Brainard, Yellow Diamond, a daughter of Western Terror, took over from Ginger And Fred before the half was reached in :55.3, threw down a 1:22.2 third quarter while opening two lengths on her rivals, then withstood a late charge from the early pacesetter, hitting the wire in 1:51.2.

Shanghai Lil charged from far back in the lane to finish a rousing third, just two lengths behind, while Shacked Up was fourth.

It was the 11th win in 18 starts this year for Yellow Diamond, along with two seconds and four thirds in a campaign which has seen the filly finish worse than third just once.

As one of two $62,500 supplemental nominations into the race (her stablemate and 2-1 second choice Shacked Up was the other), Yellow Diamond more the recouped the additional expense, earning $365,579 for the win and going over the million dollar mark in career earnings, now with $1,121,196, after being unraced as a 2-year-old.

“I’ts always good to win a big race,” said Morrill. “The money’s great. The prestige. It’s just a pleasure to be driving this caliber of horse."

Yellow Diamond paid $3.80 to win the richest of the eight Breeders Crown races. (WEG)

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