Illuminise Edges Out Diplomat Lady on Turf

Diplomat Lady, a multiple graded-stakes winner on dirt, took to the turf for the first time Sunday at Santa Anita and led almost the entire way.

But Corey Nakatani, biding his time on Irish-bred Illuminise, overtook Patrick Valenzuela and Diplomat Lady deep in the stretch for a three-quarter-length victory in the $100,000 Harold C. Ramser Sr. Handicap, a mile race for 3-year-old fillies.

“A very polished ride,” said Neil Drysdale, trainer of Illuminise.

Illuminise, owned and bred by Ballygallon Stud -- the same Irish operation that owns Breeders’ Cup Mile contender Aragorn -- won for the second time in eight starts, the first six in England. She covered the distance in 1:34.62 and paid $7.40.

Diplomat Lady bested Zoemeg by a neck for second. Trainer Chris Paasch said the filly, who has $532,784 in lifetime earnings and is owned by Charles Cono of San Diego, will be sold at the Fasig-Tipton sale Nov. 5 in Lexington, Ky.

“I think she has potential on the turf,” Valenzuela said. “She’s a very nice filly.”

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Jon Court was excused from his final two mounts because he was not feeling well, a Santa Anita Park spokesman said. Court had resumed riding Thursday after returning from Florida after the funeral of his brother, James, 47, who was killed in a hit-and-run accident.... Super Frolic, winless this year after finishing fourth as a longshot in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Classic, is pointed toward the Classic again despite finishing fifth in the Goodwood Breeders’ Cup Classic, trainer Vladimir Cerin said this week.... Horse Greeley, seventh in the Norfolk Breeders’ Cup Stakes after winning the Del Mar Futurity, will not run in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile because of ankle soreness, trainer Richard Mandella said.... Behaving Badly, a 5-year-old multiple stakes winner, has been retired to become a broodmare after finishing fourth in a Grade III stakes race at Keeneland on Saturday.

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robyn.norwood@latimes.com