Sky Diva working toward sophomore debut

Last updated: 3/6/09 4:10 PM

Sky Diva is gearing up for her three-year-old bow
(Harold Roth/Horsephotos.com)

Grade
1 winner SKY DIVA (Sky Mesa) has been preparing for her sophomore debut in South
Florida instead of joining trainer Steve Klesaris’s main string in New Orleans
this winter.

Puglisi Racing’s three-year-old filly has been training steadily at Gulfstream Park, including a
five-furlong breeze Friday morning in 1:01 1/5. She has been ramping up toward a
three-year-old debut following third-place finishes in the Demoiselle S. (G2) at
Aqueduct on November 29 and the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) on October
24 at Santa Anita.

“We decided to ship her back here because the track is so much wider (that at
the Fair Grounds),” said Lillian Klesaris, wife and assistant to Steve Klesaris,
who has just four horses at Gulfstream this year. “You’ve got the huge chute
there and there are plenty of places to take her on a long walk. So far, knock
wood, it’s really worked out well for her.”

Sky Diva won the Frizette S. (G1) at Belmont Park last fall before her two
third-place finishes to close out her two-year-old campaign. She got two months to
relax at the Fair Hill Training Center in Maryland before being diverted to
Gulfstream last month. Friday’s drill was her fourth since getting back to work
on February 15.

“Her last work was a little quick, but she had a rider on her,” Lillian
Klesaris said referring to the filly’s half-mile drill in :46 on February 27
under jockey Alan Garcia. “Today, we wanted to stretch her out, take her off the
bridle a little bit and let her settle into it. It was very laid back and
relaxed.”

With the ultimate goal of making the Kentucky Oaks (G1) at Churchill Downs on
May 1, how laid back and relaxed Sky Diva acts in the next workout will
determine how she starts her campaign. The next race in the division at
Gulfstream is the $200,000 Bonnie Miss S. (G2) at 1 1/8 miles on March 27.
Klesaris isn’t ready to commit one way or the other as yet.

“It’s going to be up to her,” she said. “She will dictate to us with how
aggressive she is and how much she responds. It’s crucial that she continues to
relax as we stretch her out. She’s telling us she wants to go forward. It’s hard
to say if she will be ready to go a mile-and-an-eighth off this layoff, but she
will tell us if she wants to go on. So far she’s been telling us ‘Yes.'”