Grade I winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Diversify (Bellamy Road) is among a field of seven set to square off in the $1.2-million GII Charles Town Classic Saturday. The New York-bred capped a three-race win streak with a front-running tally in the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont last October, but connections opted to skip the GI Breeders' Cup Classic and he instead shipped to Churchill Downs for the Nov. 24 GI Clark H., in which faded to fourth. That was his first start outside of the Empire State, so there's at least some question as to how he'll handle new surroundings and a quirky bull-ring track, but the Rick Violette, Jr. pupil has been working swiftly at Palm Meadows since his last afternoon appearance.
Past Charles Town experience has proven an advantage in this race before, as evidenced by Imperative (Bernardini)'s wins in 2014 and 2017. War Story (Northern Afleet) is the lone runner to have competed here before-he was a close third in last year's renewal. The hard-knocking chestnut annexed the GII Brooklyn Invitational S. at Belmont next out, before finishing fourth in a trio of Grade I affairs to end 2017, including the Nov. 4 GI Breeders' Cup Classic. He was far back after a wide journey in the GI Pegasus World Cup Jan. 27, but returned to winning ways with a romping success in Tampa's Challenger S. Mar. 10. You're to Blame (Distorted Humor) rounded out the trifecta that day.
Fear the Cowboy (Cowboy Cal) turned in a breakout performance in winning Gulfstream's GII Harlan's Holiday S. Dec. 16. Fourth in the Pegasus World Cup, he shipped all the way to Santa Anita to finish a distant third in the Mar. 10 GI Santa Anita H.
Something Awesome (Awesome Again) is four-for-five since being transferred from Woodbine-based Danny Vella to Maryland-based Jose Corrales in the fall. The 7-year-old Ontario-bred stretched out to this nine-furlong distance for the first time last out in Laurel's Mar. 17 Harrison E. Johnson Memorial S., and responded with a 2 1/4-length success, good for a career-best 100 Beyer Speed Figure. Third finisher Discreet Lover (Repent) flattered that one's performance with a win in the GIII Excelsior S. at Aqueduct Apr. 7.
Not a subscriber? Click here to sign up for the daily PDF or alerts.
