BH- Didia Lands First U.S. Grade 1 in New York Stakes
June 7th, 2024
In landing a North American grade 1 stakes for the first time, Didia ensured that her connections and fans would long remember the triumph as she delivered a spectacular move off the far turn on her way to a 1 1/2-length victory in the $750,000 New York Stakes (G1T) June 7 at Saratoga Race Course.
Trainer Ignacio Correas IV celebrated with shouts and hops in the stretch. His mare's dominating victory allowed him to start that celebration early.
"I was screaming my lungs out," Correas said. "She's awesome; no doubt that she's the best filly I've ever trained."
Didia and jockey Jose Ortiz stayed close in third or fourth early as longshot Royalty Interest led the field of 13 fillies and mares through a half-mile in :47.74 and six furlongs in 1:11.92. After saving ground early on the Mellon Turf Course, Ortiz tipped Didia out four wide turning for home and the 6-year-old daughter of Orpen quickly took command before midstretch and edged away to the wire.
Didia, sent off at 9-1, completed the 1 3/16-mile test in 1:52.29 on firm turf. She was followed home by runner-up Neecie Marie , who earned her first grade 1 placing, and multiple grade 1 winner War Like Goddess , who was making her seasonal debut. Favored English Rose weakened late and finished 12th.
Argentina's champion 3-year-old filly of 2021 off a pair of group 1 victories there, Didia, who was bred there by La Manija, debuted in North America in 2022 for new owner Merriebelle Stables and announced her arrival by winning her first four races in the United States, including a victory in the Modesty Stakes (G3T). That winning stretch ended in last year's edition of the New York when Didia finished second to Marketsegmentation but she would not be denied this year.
Correas, 64, and originally from Buenos Aires, Argentina, noted that he doesn't have a large stable but has been able to work his connections in South America to come up with some good horses. Friday's victory had him thinking about all of the work that he's put into the game, starting in the U.S. as an assistant to Billy Badgett.
"I came here 24 years ago and I never thought in my life that I would win a Breeders' Cup race, or Spinster Stakes, or a New York Stakes," Correas said.
After Didia's victory in this year's Pegasus World Cup Filly and Mare Turf Invitational Stakes (G2T) in January at Gulfstream Park, John Stewart's Resolute Racing bought in for a 50% racing stake. When she's retired from racing she'll go 100% to Stewart's broodmare band.
"It's just real exciting," Stewart said. "I've loved Didia since the moment I saw her back in the fall of last year and tried to buy her before the Pegasus. We weren't successful and then we just kept trying and trying and trying. So then we were able to cut a deal with the owners.
"She represents everything that we're after—on-the-track proven fillies and mares that are going into our world-class breeding stable."
With the victory Didia surpassed $1.5 million in career earnings.