Lengthy Layoff Is Over for Diligent Prospect

Diligent Prospect, one of the more impressive 2-year-old maiden winners of the year, will make his first start since May 30 in today’s second race at Santa Anita.

A gray son of Diligence owned by Royce Jaime and Ty Leatherman and trained by Doug O’Neill, Diligent Prospect was third behind Chandtrue, an early season sensation for trainer Bob Hess Jr., in his debut, then returned a month later to win by 3 1/2 lengths under jockey Jon Court. He ran five furlongs that afternoon in a rapid 56 1/5 seconds.

Court has the mount again today in the $48,000 optional claimer at 6 1/2 furlongs that attracted five others -- Cadillac Cruiser, Ransom Demanded, Stormin Away, Beat The Chalk and Processor.

Cadillac Cruiser, Ransom Demanded and Processor are all coming off victories. Cadillac Cruiser, a son of Touch Gold, hasn’t been out since he beat maidens by three lengths going a mile on Sept. 8 at Del Mar.

Ransom Demanded defeated maiden claimers on Dec. 4 at Hollywood Park, and Processor won his second in a row, beating $62,500 claimers on Dec. 9 in Inglewood. He was claimed that day and will debut this afternoon for owners David and Holly Wilson and trainer Vladimir Cerin.

Race of the day: Laguna Point, who defeated maidens by 3 1/4 lengths in her debut on Nov. 27 at Golden Gate Fields, will try for a repeat in today’s seventh.

Russell Baze will ride the 2-year-old Distorted Humor filly for owners George Todaro and Jerry Hollendorfer, who also trains the Florida-bred, in the $30,000 optional claimer at six furlongs.

One for the road: Time To Rap makes his first start for trainer Bruce Levine and adds Lasix in today’s fifth at Aqueduct. The gelding figures to improve with the changes after two starts in Kentucky, the latest on Nov. 13. Stewart Elliott will ride the 3-year-old Silver Music gelding in the $41,000 maiden affair for New York-breds at six furlongs.

Exotically speaking: A pick four using Alphabetic in the fifth, Tribe, Boston Shuttle and Certain Act in the sixth, Cee Mister B, Roi Charmant and Greg’s Gold in the seventh and Lower Shore, Tommyland and Zanziyan in the eighth.

Winners: Previous day/meet total: 3/9. Money: Previous day/meet total: $15/$49.80. Total money bet: $52.