SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. -- In a race reminiscent of her victory over Tepin nearly a year ago in the Ballston Spa, Dacita charged from last to a narrow victory over a game but hard-luck runner-up Recepta, with Rainha Da Bateria and the favorite Miss Temple City finishing just a head and a nose farther behind, in one of the more thrilling renewals of the Grade 1 Diana decided under a light shower Saturday at Saratoga.Trainer Chad Brown, who sent out four of the 10 starters in the 1-1/8-mile Diana, including both Dacita and Rainha Da Bateria, had to sweat out a stewards inquiry into the stretch run before the result was official.Dacita rallied from the rear of the pack to a head decision over Tepin in the final strides here last summer of the Grade 2 Ballston Spa, and she parlayed a similar trip into her first Grade 1 win Saturday. With a patient Irad Ortiz Jr. aboard, Dacita was reserved at the rear of the field off a fairly lively pace set by Isabella Sings and prompted by Onus. Dacita was still last, while swinging widest with her rally into the stretch, then finished full of run out past the center of the course to get up in time despite lugging in just a bit to brush with stable mate Rainha Da Bateria nearing the wire.Recepta raced well-placed, swung four wide advancing into the stretch, gained a narrow advantage near the furlong grounds, continued on gamely and just missed. Miss Temple City, the 5-2 choice, lacked clear sailing upon settling into the stretch, angled toward the inside looking for clearance, continued on willingly but was not quite good enough.Dacita, who won the Grade 2 New York going 1-1/4 miles in her previous start, is owned by Sheep Pond Partners and Bradley Thoroughbreds. She covered the distance in 1:46.25 over a firm course and returned $10.20.In the end, it was like a replay of the Ballston Spa last year when she got up in the last jump, said Brown, who earned his first Grade 1 win in the 2011 Diana with Zagora.Dacita loves Saratoga and knows where the wire is. They were really rolling along the first quarter and it set the tone for the race, that someone from behind, or at least mid-pack at worst, was going to have the best run. Irad was patient and worked out a great trip, he timed it just right.Brown also praised Rainha Da Baterias effort.I know her odds were long, but Im not going to run just to run here at Saratoga, Brown said. Im running horses I like. That filly was training well. I didnt place her right in the Just a Game. She really wants two turns, and wants longer. She ran great.Brown said all four of his starters in the Diana, including Mrs. McDougal and Wekeela who finished seventh and last respectively, would head in different directions next time.Obviously, two of our horses ran well and two were disappointing, Brown said. I need to go back to the drawing board and see what happened, because I know they are all top-class horses. Vans Old Skool Clearance Sale . Instead of dwelling on the negative, Oates focused on what was good about the clubs recent play. It worked. Cheap Vans Sk8 Hi Shoes . The Dane followed up his first European Tour title last weekend with eight birdies and just a single dropped shot on Thursday for a one-stroke advantage over South Africas Allan Versfeld and Portugals Ricardo Santos. http://www.cheapoldskoolwholesale.com/wholesale-old-skool-vans.html . And when it opened, every player was at his stall. Thats a sure sign that a team is in a slump and is searching for answers. 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As the NBA prepares to open training camps -- and the issue of athletes protests during the national anthem shows no signs of abating -- it was only a matter of time before basketball players would be asked about what they plan to do.Oklahoma City Thunder guard Victor Oladipo was asked by Complex Sports whether NBA players are paying attention to Colin Kaepernicks protest of racial oppression and inequality in the United States -- and whether those protests would transfer to the NBA.Oh, no question. I truly believe it will, Oladipo said. Because at the end of the day its a sport, and people are gonna be looking at some guys in the NBA to see what theyre gonna do as well. At the end of the day you just control what you can control, so your opinion is your opinion, thats the beauty of the United States, so, do whatever you feel is best that will help you do whatever you believe.Kaepernick, a quarterback on the San Francisco 49ers, has drawn a great deal of attention for choosing to sit during the playing of the anthem in the 49ers second-to-last preseason game. After a storm of discussion and criticism for his initial action, he then chose to kneel in the final preseason game and the 49ers Week 1 game against the Los Angeles Rams.Other players have chosen to join Kaepernick in his protest. Their gestures have included kneeling, linking arms with teammates and raising fists during the song.Oladipo, who was acquired from the Orlando Magic?in June,?also was asked whether its something he had discussed with his teammates. While he said he has not, he expects to see at least a few NBA players with their own protests.A few people just in general Ive had conversations with about that, I tell em the same thing, peoples belliefs are peoples beliefs, you know what I mean, you can only control so much, you can only control what you can control, and the most things you can control is yourself, Oladipo said.dddddddddddd So whatever you believe, believe in to the utmost. But I think definitely, well see a few guys in the NBA doing the same thing.Golden State Warriors MVP Stephen Curry said at the convention TechCrunch in San Francisco on Tuesday that he will most likely stand when the anthem is played.If you follow the way [Kaepernick] talks and the message hes trying to send with his act, from his mouth, hes not disrespecting veterans. Hes not disrespecting military. Thats not his intention, Curry said. Hes obviously continued the act to create a conversation for more social justice and things of that nature. So, Ive been a part of certain conversations off the grid, and finding different ways to make our community better, especially for African-Americans. And so, thats not the way that I would do it, but I support him in his attempt to start a conversation or continue the conversation.In 1996, then-Denver Nuggets player Mahmoud Abdul-Rauf created controversy when he refused to stand for the anthem before games, saying the flag was a symbol of oppression in the nation, and that the U.S. had a long history of tyranny.Abdul-Rauf also said standing would conflict with his Islamic beliefs. In March 1996, the NBA suspended Abdul-Rauf for one game, but he quickly worked out a compromise in which he would stand but could close his eyes and look down during the song. He said he usually recited a prayer to himself. ' ' '
