Virginia-Bred Gigante Continues Love Affair with Fair Grounds Turf, Takes Buddy Diliberto Memorial

The following appeared in the Daily Racing Form and was written by Marcus Hersh

Million-dollar Virginia- bred earner Gigante returned $3.80 in winning the Buddy Diliberto Memorial Stakes at Fair Grounds on Saturday December 21.

Gigante, show in his stall at Colonial Downs prior to the 2023 Secretariat Stakes, has bankrolled over $1 million.

Even chasing a loose leader who set a slow pace, Fair Grounds-turf-loving Gigante proved too much for the opposition in the $100,000 Buddy Diliberto Memorial Stakes on Saturday.

Swiftsure went an opening half-mile in a glacial 50.95, yet still had no answer when Gigante and Jose Ortiz came with their run past the quarter pole. Gigante swept past and had little trouble holding clear Idratherbeblessed in posting a one-length victory.

Eight-year-old Another Mystery finished with verve to get third, a half-length out of second after closing from last, albeit in a five-runner field.

Gigante captures the $100,000 Buddy Diliberto Stakes at Fair Grounds December 21 (Hodges Photography)

Gigante came into the Diliberto, a 1 1/16-mile grass race for older horses, with six wins and earnings over $1 million, and the 4-year-old has demonstrated a particular fondness for the Fair Grounds grass course. After besting fellow 3-year-olds in the Woodchopper about one year ago, Gigante went on to finish a solid fourth facing older horses in the Grade 3 Fair Grounds Stakes, following that with a career best, a second-place showing in the Grade 2 Muniz Memorial, the most important grass race of the meet.

“Very pleased to have him back at Fair Grounds,” said Steve Asmussen, who trains Gigante for Iapetus Racing and Diamond T Racing.

Gigante clocked 1:45.62 over firm going and paid $3.80 as the favorite. Gigante is by Not This Time out of the Empire Maker mare Summertime Green, and was bred in Virginia by Ann Mudge Backer and Smitten Farm.