Page 53 - February 3 2019

THE DIAMOND SIDE si 93, $197,974
Canadian Champion
Breeders/Owners: Joyce and Erik Lehtinen
Trainer: Erik Lehtinen
Jockey: Helen Vanek
2011 Record: 8-4(2)-0(0)-1(0), $81,992,
1st Fort Erie Maturity, Ontario Bred And Foaled Maturity
For Joyce, Erik and Miranda Lehtinen of JEM Farms in Uxbridge, Ontario, win- ning Canadian Champion honors with
their horse The Diamond Side has been the culmination of years of work and planning.
They say that diamonds are a girl’s best friend, and that cliché was apparent when Joyce picked out the mare Pritzi Diamond to become part of the JEM Farms broodmare band.
“I really liked the bottom side of her pedigree,” said Joyce. “She goes back to Denim N Diamonds through her dam and that was a phenomenal horse.”
From there, they chose the stallion The Down Side—a horse Erik had personally seen win the Champion of Champions—because of their connection with breeder James Markum, who sold them a breeding share.
The Diamond Side was sent to friend Helen Vanek to break in Oklahoma and ran his first race at Remington Park, finishing second in his first out. He then made the trip to Ontario and arrived right before trials for the $88,000 Legacy Futurity. The Diamond Side broke sharply in the finals, leading the field wire to wire, to win by a neck. He finished the year with two wins and earnings of over $82,000.
At three, Joyce admits that the bay gelding had a little growing up to do. “He was there but he wasn’t really paying attention. And he was too fat,” Joyce laughs. “But we got his problems ironed out and he was running some good races by the end of the season.”
Despite his difficulties, The Diamond Side had two wins in 2010, earned over $33,000 and ran second in the $50,000 added Ontario Bred Derby.
About his Championship winning season, Joyce is very philosophical. “If you can wait for them to figure it out, it’s worth it. He really came into his own at four.”
As a four year old, The Diamond Side won four of eight races, including back to back stake wins. He earned $81,992 in 2011, pushing his career total to $197,635. As the breeders, owners and trainers, the Lehtinen family rightfully celebrated after six years of commitment to this horse. Joyce summed it up neatly in one simple statement, “I wouldn’t mind having a barn full of horses like him.”
First Down Dash
The Down Side
RR Le Mistral
Dash For Cash
First Prize Rose
Easy Jet
Rebs Mistrial
Rocket Wrangler
Find A Buyer TB
Gallant Jet
Rose Bug
Jet Deck
Lena’s Bar TB
Reb’s Policy TB
True Mistrial
Rocket Wrangler
Find A Buyer TB
Sinn Fein
Miss Squaw Bird
Roma Charge
Special Sound TB
Timeto Thinkrich
Bachelor’s Dream
Rocket Bar TB Go Galla Go To Market Hide And Seek Jet Deck
Leo Jewel
Lady Bug’s Moon Casco Rose Moon Deck
Miss Night Bar Three Bars
Lena Valenti New Policy Yenoh Reb
Truly Truckle TB On Trial
Rocket Bar TB Go Galla Go
To Market
Hide And Seek Three Oh’s Vansarita Too Good Bird Bars King Bars’ Missy War Charge Romabar
Bold Commander Sound O’ Music Aforethought TB Chronometer Rebel Cause Leo’s Mambo
Three Bars Golden Rocket Go Man Go
La Galla Win Market Wise Pretty Does Alibhai Scattered
Moon Deck
Miss Night Bar Leo
Linda Jewel
Top Moon
FL Lady Bug Levan
Prissy Hankins Top Deck TB Moolight Night Barred
Belle Of Midnight Percentage Myrtle Dee
Gray Dream Perhobo
Khaled
Feu Follet Berseem
Honey Did
Fair Truckle
Fair Sister
On Deck
Comet Francis
Three Bars
Golden Rocket
Go Man Go
La Galla Win
Market Wise
Pretty Does
Alibhai
Scattered
Three Chicks OhMyOh
Vandy Garrettsmisspawhuska Good Bird TB
Miss Squaw Bars
King Bars
Princess Jewel Chudej’s Black Gold Scram Bam
Three Bars TB Josephine R
Bold Ruler
High Voltage
Mr. Music
Merry-Bo
Intentionally Aspidistra
Tiny Charger
Rhoda Watch
Top Deck TB
Bankette
Leo
Otro Mambo TB
THE DIAMOND SIDE, ‘07 g. Dash For Cash
Pritzi Dash
Pritzi Diamond
Prissy Fein
Super Sound Charge
The Kimberly Diamond
Denim N Diamonds
The Diamond Side is never headed in the Ontario Bred & Foaled Maturity at Ajax Downs.
SPEEDHORSE, February 3, 2012 51
Clive Cohen/New Image Media