Aruna, second to Aviate in the Grade 2 Distaff Turf Mile at
Churchill Downs in May, will attempt to turn the tables on that rival in the
July 30 Grade 1 Diana, which is also likely to attract Aruna’s up-and-coming
stablemate Unbridled Humor.
Aruna, a 4-year-old, is 4-1-0 from
five starts in the United States, with her lone blemish being her 1 ½-length
defeat to Aviate. She regained the winning thread last time out with a 1
½-length score in the Grade 3 All Along at Colonial Downs on June 18.
“She hasn’t done much wrong,” said
Graham Motion, who trains Aruna for Flaxman Holdings. “I was disappointed she
lost on Derby Day, but she got beat by a good filly who had a race under her
belt. She seems to be in great form.”
The Diana will be the first graded
stakes start for Unbridled Humor, who is unbeaten in four outings. After
closing her 3-year-old season with a nose victory in an overnight stakes at
Aqueduct, Unbridled Humor won her lone 2011 start to date, a July 5 Delaware
Park allowance, by 8 ½ lengths.
“Her potential is unlimited,” said
Motion of the Live Oak color-bearer. “She can be quite tricky to train and she
has a mind of her own. She has done everything with relative ease, but it is a
huge step into Grade 1 competition.”