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Bobby DiBona

The Art of the Claim

Claimed this winter at Gulfstream Park for just $18,000, the 7-year-old Cuba, a son of Not For Love, has been transformed in the care of trainer Bobby Dibona into a graded stakes performer. Before this start he finished fifth in the Iselin (gr. III) at Monmouth Park and third in the $500,000 Mass Cap at Suffolk Downs two weeks ago. He has won six of 10 since changing hands with nine in-the-money finishes.

“He has never run a bad race since I claimed him,” said Dibona. “It is tough not to have confidence. When this race came up on the light side I thought we had to take a shot. He has run well on short rest so it worked out beautiful. He is the coolest horse. He is great to be around; he does everything push button like a champ. Don’t you think he didn’t know for one minute what was going on today.”

Cuba is the third choice at odds of 6-1. Since being claimed for $18,000 earlier this year, trainer Bobby Dibona has saddled the seven-year-old for five victories. He finished a close fifth in his most recent start in the Iselin Handicap (Grade III) at Monmouth Park.

THE STATS Don't LIE

2007 Statistics

Starts Win Place Show Earnings

99 26 21 26 $647,911

2008 Statistics

Starts Win Place Show Earnings

149 29 26 30 $858,939

Bobby was Ask by track reporter Ray Kerrison Were did you start from ?

Bobby's Reply The Bottom my friend the very bottom...

By Ray Kerrison

You mean "Bob Dibona," he said. I had never met Dibona, but as a regular Monmouth patron I knew he was coming off an excellent meet with a high winning percentage.

We went to Barn 8. Dibona, a 45-year-old eager-beaver from Boston, showed me the horse, a handsome bay named Actin Good.

Bobby told how he and his lifetime school buddy, Darren Aikens, had bought Actin Good for $142,000 at the Ocala sales, a price way above anything they had ever bought.

It was a big gamble, but they had been down that road before. "After we left school, Darren and I went partners in a bar in Boston," Bobby said. "We had it for 10 years, then one night we had a stabbing in the bar. We put it up for sale next morning and sold it.

"I went off to Hawaii for a week, taking the horse trainer's book. I studied it on vacation, came back and got my trainer's license."

He and Darren began dabbling in horses, leading up to the Actin Good purchase. Right off, the horse showed promise - second in the Tyro, second in the Sapling at Monmouth last year.

After a shocking race at Gulfstream in January, they gelded Actin Good, freshened him and set him for the Pegasus. To get a race into him, Bobby, like a homing pigeon, took him up to Boston in an allowance around two turns at Suffolk Downs.

With Bobby's favorite jock Cornelio Velasquez aboard, Actin Good cruised by nearly four lengths at 6-5. He was primed, ready for the kill in Jersey.

"The Pegasus is not an easy race, but he'll love the slop and he'll love going long," said Bobby. "Besides, they've got him at 10-1 on the morning line and Cornelio and I have a 32 percent winning percentage."

I wrote about Bobby's confidence in Friday's Post.

At the jump, Actin Good was 10-1 on the tote, with my money down. Velasquez put Actin Good on the lead and was never headed to win by a neck.

The winner's circle was a riot with Bobby and Darren and the crew celebrating their first stakes winner, a $250,000 jackpot - and the promise of more to come.

Well, that was my Breeders' Cup - a fiasco rescued by some good luck. How was yours?

CONTACT US TODAY!

Trainer Bobby DiBona winner of “2008” 300K Maryland Millions
Classic with CUBA who was claimed for 18K in 2008 at GP and 250K
Pegasus winner ACTINGOOD are looking for a few select clients to join our team as we get ready for the 2009 racing meet at GP Park Partnerships are still available with Leo-Sag Stables, and we also have openings to train the right horses.

Please contact us!

We look forward to hearing from you.

ACTINGOOD Wins again.