04/30/2019
Double Diamond Farm provided some nice updates of Bodensee, Via Veneto's foal from Season 1! As you...
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A dark bay daughter of Eclipse Award winner Orientate out of the Smart Strike mare Run Sarah Run, Via Veneto was bred in Florida by her owner, Don Dizney, who named her after the street Via Veneto in Rome. Via Veneto’s dam was stakes placed during her racing career and is also the dam of Grade 1 winner First Dude, a half-brother to Via Veneto. First Dude, retired to Dizney’s Double Diamond Farm in Florida in 2011, has been a leading sire. Like her half-brother, Via Veneto was trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert. She won her career debut at Del Mar in 2008. Via Veneto raced through age four. She won the Bangles and Beads Stakes in her final career start in 2010 and was retired with a record of 3-3-1 from 12 starts and earnings of $123,950. Via Veneto has had five foals and is currently in foal to Bodemeister, sire of 2017 Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming. The foal Via Veneto is carrying at Double Diamond Farm will be a full sibling to Via Veneto Square, a 2-year-old filly currently in training with Baffert in California.
Donald Dizney found his passion for thoroughbreds at Keeneland while attending the nearby Eastern Kentucky University on a football scholarship. He was part of the excited infield crowd at Churchill Downs in 1961 when a flashy Florida-bred colt named Carry Back triumphed in the Kentucky Derby. It was then Dizney’s dream of owning a thoroughbred with 50 friends began to stir. It all came full circle when Dizney purchased the farm known now as Double Diamond Farm in the heart of horse country, Ocala, Fla.
Double Diamond Farm is a premier training center and stallion facility. Double Diamond Farm has won more than 730 races and responsible for breeding 70 stakes winners. Currently, Double Diamond Farm’s stallion roster includes two homebreds, graded stakes winner Bahamian Squall and grade 1 winning millionaire and Florida’s leading active sire, First Dude.
Dizney has served multiple terms on the board of directors of Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association; he has also served on boards of TOBA, NTRA, National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame and on the executive committee of the Breeders’ Cup. He is also a member of The Jockey Club.