2009 Jim Dandy and Diana Stakes

By Cindy Pierson Dulay, About.com Guide

The $500,000 Diana Stakes (G1) featured a field of 10 older fillies and mares going 1 1/8 miles on the Mellon Turf Course. Last year's winner Forever Together was sent off as the 9-10 favorite in the field of 10, exiting a second place finish in the Just A Game at Belmont Park. In to challenge her included 9-2 second choice Rutherienne, winner of the Nassau Stakes at Woodbine last out, and 6-1 third choice My Princess Jess, third in the Just A Game after winning the Beaugay.

Quiet Meadow was quickest away and set early fractions of 23.60, 48.45, and 1:23.54 over the good course while being stalked by Criticism down the backstretch. Jockey Julien Leparoux kept favorite Forever Together near the back of the field for the first 7 furlongs. Entering the stretch, the pacesetters both tired, allowing Carribean Sunset, who had stalked them in third, to inherit the lead at the 1/8 pole through 1 mile in 1:36.49. However, Forever Together came out wide into the stretch and closed with a rush to nail Carribean Sunset at the line by a head in 1:48.21. It was just 3/4 length back to late-running Rutherienne third.

Results chart