Diversify earns Grade 1 glory with gate-to-wire victory in Jockey Club Gold Cup

By Sarah Mace

Lauren and Ralph M. Evans’ Diversify, by New York-based sire Bellamy Road (Dutchess Views Farm[2]), delivered a career performance Saturday when he posted a wire-to-wire victory in the storied Grade 1, $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park.

Diversify joins Funny Cide (2004) and Haynesfield (2010) on the roster of New York-bred winners of the Jockey Club Gold Cup since the inception of the New York-bred breeding and racing program in 1973.

The Jockey Club Gold Cup is a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” qualifier for the Grade 1, $6 million Classic on November 4 at Del Mar, but the connections have not decided whether to make the trip. “We did pick up the ‘Win and You’re In’ for the Classic today, but we’re going to enjoy today’s race and give it a couple of days,” said trainer Rick Violette. “I’ll talk it over with Lauren Evans and Ralph Evans and we’ll come up with a decision next week.”

On the face of it, there were formidable obstacles in Diversify’s path to victory Saturday. The 4-year-old gelding was being asked to go a furlong further than he had before, and he faced a gigantic class test — the Jockey Club Gold Cup was his graded stakes debut. Finally, Diversify was going up against a deserving 6-5 favorite in Keen Ice, winner of the Grade 2 Suburban on July 8, and runner-up to Gun Runner, the presumptive favorite for the Breeders’ Cup Classic, in the Grade 1 Whitney on August 5.

Diversify did, however, catch a break when he drew the inside post. For 1 1/4-mile races, the Belmont starting gate is placed early on the clubhouse turn, giving horses on the inside a couple of jumps on the competition if they break alertly. A horse on the outside, like Keen Ice in post seven, is guaranteed to lose some ground in the early stages.

Diversify, 7-2 second choice, took full advantage of the one-hole, popping out of the gate alertly, and opening up two lengths in a flash. Regular rider Irad Ortiz, Jr. was then able to moderate the pace, as they led the field though early splits of 24.17 and 47.74 with Pavel and Rally Cry vying for second two lengths back.

Traveling comfortably just off the rail along the backstretch, Diversify faced mild pressure around the far turn, and was asked for more with three-sixteenths to go. Keen Ice had advanced into second from sixth and was looming a threat.

In late stretch, Ortiz kept his mount gamely to his task and corrected Diversify’s inclination to get out with a right-handed whip. In the end, Keen Ice was left with just too much to do, and Diversify nailed down the victory by a length.

Keen Ice finished 3 1/4 lengths clear of Pavel, who was followed across the line by Good Samaritan, Destin, Rally Cry and Highland Sky. After clocking a mile in 1:36.08, Diversify’s final time for 1 1/4 miles was 2:00.96. [VIDEO REPLAY[4]]

“He’s a good horse and he’s improving,” Ortiz, Jr. said. “He’s growing up and he was that good today. He was ready to run today. He was challenged and responded. Before, he used to play a little bit and would wait for horses. He doesn’t do that as much anymore, so he’s getting better.”

Violette said, “We couldn’t have dreamed of a better scenario. The first quarter, going in twenty-four [seconds] was ideal.”

The conditioner continued, “He’s done nothing but get better from the early summer until now. He’s always been a nice horse, but he’s certainly jumped into the major leagues here today. [Keen Ice] might’ve moved a little earlier than he wanted to because we were always loose on the lead. The pace certainly made the race for us. My only instructions to Irad was to ride him like he rode him in Saratoga.”

Diversify came into the Jockey Club Gold Cup in the midst of an excellent campaign, in which he finished second by a nose in the Commentator in May, and earned back-to-back triple-digit Beyers winning Belmont’s Saginaw and Saratoga’s Evan Shipman Stakes.

Bred by Fred W. Hertrich III and John D. Fielding and foaled at Majestic View Farms in Gardiner, Diversify is the only winner to date out of Rule One, a placed daughter of Street Cry (IRE), whom Hertrich bought at the 2010 Keeneland November sale for $57,000. Rule One has a 2-year-old filly by Data Link and was bred to More than Ready this year.

Diversify graduated from the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred preferred yearling sale, where he sold to Maverick Racing for $150,000. Unraced at two, he flashed talent from the start, opening his account in 2016 with four straight front-running victories in routes. Diversify earned a “TDN Rising Star” designation after September 22 allowance win for WinStar Farm LLC.

Offered as a racing prospect at the 2016 Keeneland November sale, Diversify was purchased by Lauren and Ralph Evans bought him for $210,000 and opted to stay with Violette, the gelding’s original trainer.  The $450,000 winner’s share of the Jockey Club Gold Cup purse boosted Diversify’s earnings to $775,425.

 

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2017/10/07/diversify-jcgc/

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Disco Partner wins Belmont Turf Sprint Invitational with picture-perfect closing move

By Sarah Mace

Frank and Patricia Generazio’s homebred Disco Partner put another feather in his cap Saturday when he won the $150,000 Belmont Turf Sprint Invitational over the inner turf course on the Jockey Club Gold Cup undercard.

Sent off as the prohibitive 1-5 favorite, the popular grey obliged backers with his hallmark late winning move. The Generazios and trainer Christophe Clement, who also have Pure Sensation in the barn, are in the enviable position of having to decide whether to run one or both in the 5-furlong Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint at Del Mar on Saturday, November 4.

Five-year-old Disco Partner has already had a stellar year, winning three of four starts for Clement following a successful three-year run with Jimmy Ryerson,

Disco Partner kicked off the year by winning the Elusive Quality at Belmont on good turf on April 17. On June 10 Disco Partner made headlines when he set a world record for six furlongs on the turf in the Grade 3 Jaipur Invitational on the Widener at Belmont Park (1:05.67). Next out, he opened our eyes even wider, when he successfully stretched out to a mile in the Forbidden Apple Stakes on July 15.

The only wrinkle in Disco Partner’s form came last out, when he finished sixth in the one-mile, Grade 1 Fourstardave at Saratoga Race Course after a six-wide trip over a yielding turf course.

Originally named as “possible” for the Grade 1 Ricoh Woodbine Mile on September 16, Disco Partner’s connections opted for the Belmont Turf Sprint Invitational, which would represent a return to his favorite track (six wins and two seconds from ten Belmont starts) and best distance (three wins and two seconds in six tries at six furlongs, while earning Beyers of 109 and 105 in back-to-back efforts in the Jaipur and Forbidden Apple).

In the early stages of Belmont Turf Sprint, Disco Partner set up in fourth (of five) in the two-path, nearly three lengths behind pacesetter Bold Thunder, who set aggressive early fractions of 22.06 and 44.59.

Fanning three-wide at the head of the lane, then shifting out four-wide, Disco engaged and tackled his rivals in the final furlong, cruising past Snowday, Bold Thunder and Ready for Rye.

The grey hit the front with a sixteenth to go and edged off to a 1 1/4-length victory under a confident and immobile Irad Ortiz, Jr. The final time of 1:06.97 was just off the 1:06.87 course record set by Gantry in 2011. Ready for Rye in second, Snowday and We Dear You were each separated by a neck, while pacesetter Bold Thunder brought up the rear. [RACE REPLAY[3]]

“I knew he was going to be there when I asked him so I just tried to wait as long as I can,” said Ortiz.

“I knew the speed was going to come back to me, so I just followed Albertrani’s horse [Ready for Rye], Ortiz continued.  “I knew he was good to follow, because he was going to bring me to the quarter-pole, and Bold Thunder – six furlongs sometimes a little too far for him, so I just tried to wait as long as I can and tried not to move too early.

“He’s a nice horse. He gives me a nice kick. He probably wasn’t as fast today as he was on that day [in the Jaipur] but he is still a nice horse. I think he is one of the best sprinters around right now.”

Clement commented, “He’s fast. Irad said he was always in control. He’s a fine horse. He loves Belmont, he loves training here. It was like a morning workout for him. As a trainer, I don’t [control] the time. As long as he comes back safe, I’m very happy with it.”

Clement added, “Where we go next, I’m not sure.” He pointed out that he and the Generazios are sitting pretty four weeks out from the Breeders Cup. “I’m very lucky I have two top-class sprinters. We won the [Grade 3 Turf Monster] race at Parx [on September 4] with Pure Sensation and [Disco Partner] wins here. So, they can make the decision on who goes to the Breeders’ Cup. That’ll be up to Mr. and Mrs. Generazio.” Disco Partner’s owners would need to pay $100,000 to supplement him to the Breeders’ Cup.

“It’s a great problem to have,” Clement continued. “If they want, I’ll take both of them. One has more natural speed [Pure Sensation], this one has the most amazing turn of foot. In three strides, he can just get there. Maybe it’s a good team to run together.”

On Disco Partner’s prospects for cutting back successfully in distance for the Breeders’ Cup, Clement said, “I didn’t think he could do it, but Irad came back and he’s convinced that he’s fast enough to run five furlongs.”

A third-generation Generazio homebred, who was foaled at Keane Stud[4] in Amenia, Disco Partner is out of Lulu’s Number (Numerous), a New Jersey-bred multiple winner of over $200,000 trained by Ben Perkins, Jr. Patricia Generazio bred Disco Partner’s second dam Mary Lou’s Magic (Concord Dream) in Florida. The winning mare was trained by Frank.

As a broodmare, Lulu’s Number has produced five winners from seven starters, including Don Six’s Number (Don Six), a stakes performer and earner of $212,686. Lulu’s Number has a 2-year-old filly by Posse named Lulu’s Partner, and delivered a colt by First Samurai on February 14, 2017. She was bred this year to Into Mischief.

A winner of nine of 20 races, with four seconds and two thirds, Disco Partner has bankrolled $823,810.

 

 

 

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2017/10/07/disco-partner-belmont-ts-invitational/

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