Busanda

After a weekend that flashed one talent after another, like a many-sided jewel rotating in the sun, it's hard to single out a dominant facet. But having previously explored the backgrounds of Golden Tempo (Curlin) and Nysos (Nyquist), let's start with the breakout performance of Englishman (Maxfield), author of a 115 Beyer in the GI Woody Stephens Stakes. And actually this horse shares an important glint of brilliance with the other pair. Because Golden Tempo, the second consecutive Derby/Belmont winner out of a daughter of Bernardini, shares his damsire not...

In this continuing series, we examine the past winners of significant filly/mare races by the lasting influence they've had on the breed. Up today is Saratoga's GI Diana S., contested at 1 1/8 miles on the lawn. These days, the Diana is restricted to fillies and mares ages four and up. That wasn't always the case, as a number of 3-year-old fillies have won in the past. That's not the only thing that's changed: the Diana is such a fixture on the grass that it may come as a surprise...