Shortly after the clock struck five on the first Saturday in May 2004, the skies over Churchill Downs opened to a torrential downpour that left piles of water standing at the rail on the main track and relegated the turf course to yielding. The skies north of the Ohio River grew increasingly dark as the 5 o'clock neared and another storm–albeit a far shorter one–sent them scattering from the infield. However, this time, the course was not subject to a downgrade and Divisidero carved out a victory on Derby Day for the second year running in a race marred by an incident at the final corner.
The $250,000 Keeneland September graduate was a whopping 25-1 on his debut despite a pedigree that screamed grass and came from 10th to score by a half-length, then endured a checkered passage when third in the GIII Palm Beach S. A 20-1 morning-line choice in the GII American Turf S. on this program, he came with a stinging late rally down the crown of the track to best A Lot (Tapit) by three-parts of a length, with World Approval third. The bay overcame a slow pace to add Belmont's Pennine Ridge S. and was a 5-2 shot in the GI Belmont Derby, but never got untracked, finishing seventh in an effort that spelled the end of his season. Divisidero had the perfect buildup towards this race, finishing a running-on third to loose-on-the-lead Heart to Heart (English Channel) in the GIII Canadian Turf S. Feb. 27 and second to the reopposing Reporting Star (Circular Quay) in the GIII Appleton S. Apr. 2. Both those races were over a mile and Divisidero was sure to appreciate the added real estate of the Woodford.
Midnight Storm (Pioneerof the Nile) won the hop and showed his customary speed, tracked initially by World Approval and ultimately Bolo (Temple City), who tugged his way eagerly despite efforts to the contrary made by jockey Mike Smith. Divisidero raced in about centerfield and three wide punching the breeze, while the well-backed Slumber saved ground further back with stablemate Big Blue Kitten (Kitten's Joy) the back marker. Given his cue about the three-eighths marker, Divisidero caught the eye with a four-wide sweep and had the leaders in his sights when calamity struck down to his inside. Kasaqui (Arg) (Lasting Approval) stumbled and fell, tossing Paco Lopez to the ground, while Triple Threat (Fr) (Monsun {Ger}) could not avoid his fallen foe and cartwheeled to the turf as well, casting Jose Lezcano from the saddle. Back up front, World Approval inherited the lead in upper stretch and was tackled shortly thereafter by Divisidero. The latter hung on his incorrect lead for most of the final furlong, but surged in the final couple of strides to win. Slumber closed good ground at the rail for third. None of the equines nor jockeys involved in the spill was injured.
“I love winning on Derby Day,” commented winning trainer Buff Bradley. “He's a really special horse. We felt really confident coming into this race. We're realistic. We knew this was a good bunch of horses. He's a terrific horse and I think he's going to show what kind of horse he is this year. Edgar [Prado] thought he'd be closer. We felt he could lay a lot closer. Edgar thought there wasn't as much speed in here. We felt like when we got to this distance we'd let him run his race. Edgar did just a beautiful job. Edgar is our man. Once we get a jock who gets along with a horse and fits a horse, we stick with him.”
The winner is kin to 2-year-old Holly Field (Mizzen Mast), a $180,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase, a yearling colt by Bernardini and a filly foal by 2013 GI Kentucky Derby winner Orb (Malibu Moon).
Saturday, Churchill Downs
WOODFORD RESERVE TURF CLASSIC S.-GI, $500,000, CD, 5-7, 4yo/up, 1 1/8mT, 1:47.37, fm.
1–&DIVISIDERO, 120, c, 4, by Kitten's Joy
1st Dam: Madame Du Lac, by Lemon Drop Kid
2nd Dam: Geisha Girl (GB), by Nashwan
3rd Dam: Miznah (Ire), by Sadler's Wells
($250,000 Ylg '13 KEESEP). O-Gunpowder Farms LLC; B-Hinkle
Farms (KY); T-William B. Bradley; J-Edgar S. Prado. $294,500.
Lifetime Record: 8-4-1-2, $678,850. *Full to Kitten's Kid, GSP.
Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree. Werk Nick
Rating: A+++. *Triple Plus*.
[bullet ad=”hinklefarms-gunpowderfarmsbuffbradley”][bullet ad=”silver-spring”][bullet ad=”margaux-farm-starting-and-training-grad”][bullet ad=”performance-genetics-sales-select”][bullet ad=”joshstevens-congratulations”][bullet ad=”kbif-g1″]2–World Approval, 120, g, 4, Northern Afleet–Win Approval, by
With Approval. O-Live Oak Plantation; B-Live Oak Stud (FL);
T-Mark E. Casse. $95,000.
3–Slumber (GB), 120, h, 8, Cacique (Ire)–Sound Asleep, by
Woodman. ($200,000 6yo '14 KEENOV). O-Michael Dubb,
Sheep Pond Partners and Bethlehem Stables LLC; B-Millsec, Ltd.
(GB); T-Chad C. Brown. $47,500.
[bullet ad=”irt-shell”]Margins: NK, 1, 1 3/4. Odds: 6.70, 10.20, 7.50.
Also Ran: Tourist, Big Blue Kitten, Danish Dynaformer, Midnight Storm, Reporting Star, Chocolate Ride, Bolo, Triple Threat (Fr), Kasaqui (Arg). Scratched: Grand Tito. Click for the Equibase.com chart, the TJCIS.com PPs or the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree. VIDEO, sponsored by Fasig-Tipton.
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