Tod Mountain Thoroughbreds and James Redekop’s LEGACY SQUARE (Lent – Architecture by Dixie Chatter) left no doubt as to who is the best juvenile in British Columbia with a lopsided victory in the $100,000 Jack Diamond Futurity at Hastings Racecourse on Oct. 1.
Trained by Edgar Mendoza and ridden by Efrain Hernandez, the dark bay gelding was sent off at 3-to-5 in the field of eight in the 6 1/2 furlong event and he changed up his style from his previous three races.
Breaking quickly from post position two, Legacy Square was pressing the pace of Road Closure into the backstretch before taking off on his way to a 7 1/2 length victory. His time of 1:16.76 was very fast for the day and Daily Racing Form assigned him a 68 Beyer Speed Figure. Stablemate BAK TO LIBERTY ran his usual good race behind his stablemate checking in second and Jerry Billan’s TIME TICKER rounded out the top three with a good run from off the pace to get third.
Legacy Square was bred by Christine Amman and the gelding won the Spaghetti Mouse Stakes in his career debut and doubled up in the BC Nursery Stakes on Aug. 1. He was unlucky when second by a neck in the CTHS Sales Stakes on Aug. 22 to Buck in Command.
Purchased for $19,775 (US) at the 2021 BC CTHS Mixed Sale through consignor Emerald Acres, Legacy Square has earned over $92,000.
The gelding is the fifth foal to race of stakes winner Architecture, who won the Fantasy Stakes in 2014 and two other added money events as a 2-year-old. The mare has also produced multiple stakes winner of 2022, U Did IT, and stakes-placed Blueprint.
Legacy Square romps in the $100,000 Jack Diamond Futurity at Hastings Racecourse on Oct. 1. (Patti Tubbs photo)
In the $100,000 Sadie Diamond Futurity, also at 6 1/2 furlongs, it was Dennis Dale, Morris Peter and Ed Welsh’s AIR FORCE ($7.50), who battled from gate to wire and just got up by a desperate nose for the win under Antonio Reyes for conditioner Keith Pedersen in 1:19.27. The daughter of young sire Counterforce (Smart Strike) was away well and seemed comfortable the entire trip and was able to do just enough to secure the win.
The Canmor Farms’ ABOVE AVERAGE was game in defeat after setting a contested pace with the winner through splits of 22.21 and 46.29 under Amadeo Perez and lost by a nose bob at the wire. Len Harris’ HIGHER IMAGE made a huge run at long odds from well back under Kimal Santo and made things very interesting in the stretch, ending up a close third.
Air Force was coming off her maiden victory in her third career start. Bred by Paul Caravetta, the filly was bought for $12,655 (US price) at the 2021 CTHS Mixed Sale. She now has earnings of over $53,000. Her dam Everythings a Blur, a winner once in two races, is the dam of three other foals to race, all winners, including 14-time winner Morning Blurs, winner of the HBPA Claiming Championship Stakes.
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