2009 Belmont Stakes Undercard Part 1

By Cindy Pierson Dulay, About.com Guide

The $400,000 Just A Game Stakes (G1) featured a field of 7 older fillies and mares going 1 mile on the Widener turf course. Last year's winner and champion turf female Forever Together was the 7-10 choice coming off a 2 race winning streak, the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf and the Jenny Wiley. Moscow Burning Stakes runner-up Modern Look was the 6-1 second choice over Beaugay winner My Princess Jess at 7-1.

Longshot Raw Silk went to the lead to set early fractions of 23.85, 47.88, and 1:12.35, while being stalked by Captain's Lover a length behind. Entering the stretch, Raw Silk continued to lead but stopped badly inside the final furlong. 10-1 Diamondrella, who was last of all for the first 3/4 mile, came out six wide and closed with a rush to pass the whole field, taking over the lead at the 1/8 pole and drawing away to win by 1 3/4 lengths over late-running favorite Forever Together in 1:36.49 over the yielding course. It was another 1 1/4 lengths back to My Princess Jess third.
Results chart