Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Diversify ready for Gold Cup
ELMONT, N.Y. – Barring unsatisfactory workouts over the weekend, Diversify and Highland Sky are expected to join the field for next Saturday’s Grade 1, $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park.
Diversify, an 11 1/2-length winner of the Evan Shipman Stakes against New York-breds at Saratoga, could very well be the speed of the 1 1/4-mile Gold Cup. He was expected to work Saturday morning.
“I’m probably going to take a shot,” trainer Rick Violette said. “Aside from Destin, there doesn’t look to be other speed, and we’re probably quicker than him.”
Diversify, a gelding by Bellamy Road, is 6 for 9 in his career. In the Evan Shipman, he put up realistic fractions of 47.35 seconds for a half-mile and 1:11.09 for six furlongs before coming home quick and covering 1 1/8 miles in 1:47.48.
He would be trying 1 1/4 miles for the first time in the Gold Cup.
“It seems to me everything with him is about the pace,” Violette said. “Obviously, his best races have been on the lead. The farther you go, the pace is slower. If he’s able to get into a comfortable cruising speed, it probably makes him dangerous at any distance.”
Highland Sky, a son of Sky Mesa trained by Barclay Tagg, has made the first 12 starts of his career on turf, winning three. On Sept. 18, Highland Sky breezed four furlongs on dirt in 47.60 under jockey Rajiv Maragh. Though Highland Sky worked on turf last Sunday, he is expected to work on dirt this Sunday, after which a decision on the Gold Cup will be made.
“He did look pretty good on dirt, always has,” Tagg said. “He comes from a pretty darn good turf family.”
Trainer Todd Pletcher has three horses for the Gold Cup, including Keen Ice, the probable favorite, Destin, and Rally Cry. Good Samaritan, Pavel, and possibly Securitiz are expected to run in the Gold Cup, which offers a fees-paid berth into the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 4.
Guillot could pop in Champagne
Trainer Eric Guillot, who spent the summer in steamy south Florida, has shipped up two promising juveniles, at least one of whom will run in next Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Champagne Stakes at Belmont Park.
Stronger, a son of Bodemeister who won a one-mile maiden race in his second start at Gulfstream Park, is definite for the Champagne. Master Manipulator, a son of Tale of the Cat who had a brutal trip when second in a one-mile race Sept. 17 at Gulfstream, could run in the Champagne or a seven-furlong maiden race the same day.
Stronger finished fourth in his six-furlong debut July 23 before rolling to a 6 1/2-length victory going a mile Aug. 27.
Guillot said in his first start Stronger “just ran even. He chased them all the way around there. Then, even though he won by 6 1/2, I think he should have won by 10. He breaks on top, he takes him back, he rushes him into a 45-and-change half, and goes six wide in a six-horse field and drew off.”
Guillot believes Stronger wants two turns and was considering the Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland, “but there was a chance I wasn’t going to get in, and they’re more seasoned horses. They’re more proven than the ones in the Champagne.”
Guillot said Manny Franco rides Stronger.
Master Manipulator, a halfbrother to the Grade 1 winner Curalina, was checked several times in a one-mile maiden race when he was beaten just a halflength by Platinum Equity, the same horse Stronger defeated by 6 1/2 lengths. Master Manipulator is a June foal.
“I’m not so sure at the end of the day he’s not better than Stronger,” Guillot said. “I think he’s going to be a super, super nice horse. He’s the real deal.”
Angel Arroyo would ride Master Manipulator.
Others pointing to the Champagne include Aveenu Malcaiu, who is expected to scratch from a stakes at Finger Lakes on Saturday, Crea’s Bklyn Law, Enticed, Firenze Fire, Full of Run, Good Magic, Hazit, Honorable Treasure, and Kowboy Karma.
◗ Beginning Wednesday, first post at Belmont switches to 12:55 p.m. except for next Saturday, when first post is 12:15 for the Jockey Club Gold Cup program.