Didia and Josep Ortiz after their New York victory. (Joe Labozzetta)
Belmont Stakes Racing Festival Notes
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – At almost midnight Resolute Racing tweeted, “Still on Cloud 9 from Didia‘s win. What a horse.”
On Sunday morning trainer Ignacio Correas, IV was in complete agreement with John Stewart’s Resolute Racing, who co-owns the 6-year-old Argentine-bred with Merriebelle Stables, and was on track to witness her impressive score in Friday’s Grade 1, $750,000 New York at Saratoga Race Course.
“She’s the best one I have ever had on the turf,” said Correas, who also trained 2019 champion Older Mare and Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner Blue Prize (ARG).
Correas was a top-class trainer in his native Argentina before coming to the U. S. in 2009 and going out on his own in 2015. With the win in the New York Stakes, he garnered his fourth G1 win in the United States. Now he’s looking for more with Didia, who just won her first U.S. Grade 1 after being a multiple Group 1 winner in her native country.
Correas said, “We arrived home to Keeneland yesterday. I really haven’t thought yet about her next race. There aren’t that many places that she can go, so I guess it’s going to be the Beverly D. [in August at Colonial Downs] or the Diana at Saratoga. I’ll talk to the owners, and we’ll figure it out. I may make the decision in about 10 days. The Breeders’ Cup [Filly & Mare Turf] is the ultimate goal.”
Meanwhile, Didia who has a record of 11-2-1 in 17 starts and is a multiple graded stakes winner since she came to America and joined her trainer’s stable, was reported to have exited her race in fine shape following her 1 ½ lengths pace stalking victory in the 1 3/16 miles New York. The win brought a bit of redemption as last year Didia was the runner-up in the New York.
“She was like a monster,” said Correas after her race. “It’s a great feeling. I targeted this race for months and months. It was really hard for me to lose this race last year. I never expected to lose it last year. I was disappointed.”
Stewart, who came into the sport last year and has invested heavily in domestic and international bloodstock, acquired his 50 percent share in the mare this past April. That was shortly after Didia, now the earner of $1,533,484, won the Grade 2 Pegasus World Cup Filly & Mare Turf Invitational at Gulfstream Park on January 27.
“I’ve loved Didia since I saw her back in the fall. I tried to buy her before the Pegasus. We weren’t successful but kept trying and trying. We were able to cut a deal with the owners. She represents everything that we’re after, which is on the track fillies and mares that will go into our world class breeding stable. We get her at the end of her campaign and we’re pretty excited about that,” said Stewart.
Incidentally, one of the mares in Resolute’s broodmare band is Puca, who is the dam of Saturday’s $2 million Belmont Stakes winner Dornoch as well as the colt’s full brother and 2023 Kentucky Derby winner Mage. Stewart bought Puca for $2.9 million at the 2023 Keeneland Breeding Stock Sale.
