One of only two 3-year-olds in a field of 14, DUE DILIGENCE put in a gutsy performance to finish runner-up in the six-furlong Diamond Jubilee S.-G1 on the closing day of the prestigious Royal Ascot Meet. The son of WAR FRONT raced in a group on the near side at the start and eventually moved to the center of the course for the final drive to the wire. As they neared the finish line, the eventual winner came across DUE DILIGENCE which caused him to be snatched up near the wire resulting in an inquiry, which was later disallowed. “For the first time with older sprinters, I couldn’t be happier,” commented trainer Aidan O’Brien.
In his race just prior to his Diamond Jubilee start, DUE DILIGENCE won the six-furlong Lacken S. on the turf at Naas by 3 3/4 lengths and also placed in Dundalk’s Patton S. on the all-weather surface in his first start of 2014. In his 2-year-old debut last year, he was designated a “TDN Rising Star” after an impressive 7 1/2-length Maiden Special Weight win going 5 1/2 furlongs on the Saratoga turf. Bred by Claiborne Farm and Adele B. Dilschneider out of the stakes-winning PULPIT mare, Bema, DUE DILIGENCE was a $190,000 purchase out of the 2012 Keeneland September yearling sale. He currently races for the partnership of Michael Tabor, Derrick Smith and Mrs. John Magnier.