Runaway Diva Back at ‘Specialty Distance’ for Mo Green

HALLANDALE BEACH, FL – Holly Hill Stables LLC’s Runaway Diva has been designated as the 123-pound highweight for Saturday’s $75,000 Mo Green overnight handicap at Gulfstream Park on the strength of a record of versatility, consistency and performance.

The 5-year-old daughter of champion Runhappy has finished in the money in 11 of 17 starts while racing on dirt or turf, around one or two turns.

“She’s just a really, really honest filly. She shows up every time,” trainer Michelle Hemingway said. “I think she prefers a one-turn mile. I think that’s her specialty distance.”

Runaway Diva will be back at her preferred one-turn mile distance Saturday to lead a field of nine older fillies and mares assembled for the Mo Green that will headline Saturday’s 11-race program.

Runaway Diva concluded her 2025 campaign with runner-up finishes in the one-turn mile Twixt at Laurel Park and the 1 1/8-mile Delaware Handicap (G2) at Delaware Park following a 6 ½-length romp in a one-turn mile optional claiming allowance at Colonial Downs.

“She’s owned by some really nice people who love their horses. They’re developing a broodmare band, so it’s nice to get the Grade 2 placing underneath her to have her fit beautifully within their broodmare band when the time is right,” Hemingway said.

Runaway Diva has opened her 2026 season with a runner-up finish in the 1 1/16-mile Wayward Lass at Tampa Bay Downs and an even fourth in the one-mile Sandy Bottom Stakes at Colonial Downs last time out.

Hemingway is hoping to revisit the winner’s circle Saturday at Gulfstream Park, where she earned her first winner in the U.S. after saddling multiple Grade 1 winners in South Africa as the assistant trainer for Michael de Kock and others.

“October 16, 2021, Manor House, a one-turn mile with Romero Maragh,” Hemingway said with instant recall at the mention of her first U.S. training triumph.

Samy Camacho has the mount on Runaway Diva, who is rated third on the morning line at 9-2.

Trainer Saffie Joseph Jr. will be represented in the Mo Green by a pair of graded-stakes drop-downs, Agave Racing Stable and Miller Racing’s Indy Bay and Miller Racing LLC’s Public Defender.

Indy Bay, who will receive one pound from Runaway Diva, has faced graded company in her last five starts, including a victory in last year’s Charles Town Oaks (G2). In her two most recent starts, the 4-year-old daughter of Take Charge Indy finished 10th off a layoff in the Jan. 24 Inside Information (G2) and sixth in the March 1 Hurricane Bertie (G3) at Gulfstream Park.

Public Defender, a five-time winner from 12 starts on turf and Tapeta, is scheduled to make her first start on dirt since debuting with a sixth-place finish over Laurel Park’s main track Nov. 16, 2023.

The 5-year-old daughter of Constitution, who will carry 120 pounds, enters the Mo Green off out-of-the-money finishes on turf in the Endeavor (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs and the Honey Fox (G3) at Gulfstream.

Miguel Vasquez has the call on Indy Bay, who is rated second at 2-1 on the morning line, while Micah Husbands will be aboard Public Defender, the 9-5 morning-line favorite.

Raheem Sealy’s St. Olaf Rose, another mare with a record of consistency, is slated to make her first start at the one-mile distance during a career record of 12 in-the-money finishes from 17 starts, all sprints. The Frank Regalbuto-trained 5-year-old daughter of Goldencents is coming off an even third-place finish at Tampa Bay Downs in a seven-furlong handicap won by multiple graded-stakes winner Mystic Lake.

Leonel Reyes has the call on St. Olaf Rose, who is rated fourth at 6-1 on the morning line.

Ad Hoc Stable Inc.’s Flowers for Me (10-1), who set a pressured pace before weakening in the Tampa Bay Downs handicap won by Mystic Lake, and Sport of Kings Racing Partners LLC and Eric Sizemore’s Fantastic Flame (10-1), who returns to dirt and one turn Saturday following a pair of late-fading efforts on Tapeta, will seek to go the distance in the Mo Green.

Holly Crest Farm’s Riding Pretty (15-1), trainer Heather Smullen’s Calling the Shots (20-1), and Maxine Simms’ Puckered (20-1) round out the field.