Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Jockey Club Gold Cup Diversify’s next goal
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Though Rick Violette has already shown it’s a trainer’s prerogative to change his mind, he seemed pretty certain Sunday morning that he would point Grade 1 Whitney Stakes winner Diversify to the Jockey Club Gold Cup on Sept. 29 at Belmont Park and not the Woodward Stakes on Sept. 1 at Saratoga.
Both are Grade 1 races with $750,000 purses. The Woodward, at 1 1/8 miles, would mean running back in four weeks again after Diversify paired 110 Beyer Speed Figures in the Suburban and Whitney. The Jockey Club Gold Cup, a 1 1/4-mile race Diversify won last year, gives Diversify eight weeks between starts and then five weeks to the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 3 at Churchill Downs.
“The Woodward isn’t going to happen, and I almost don’t care how good he’s doing,” Violette said. “I would think the Gold Cup is the next target, and then maybe the Breeders’ Cup.”
By virtue of Saturday’s 3 1/2-length victory in the Whitney, Diversify earned a fees-paid berth in the Classic. Violette’s concern about the Breeders’ Cup is that Diversify finished fourth, beaten six lengths, in last November’s Grade 1 Clark Handicap, his only start at Churchill.
“He didn’t handle it,” Violette said. “Irad [Ortiz Jr.] came back and said he never got on the bridle, he was halfway stumbling.”
Violette said he would consider shipping Diversify to Churchill immediately after the Jockey Club Gold Cup to give him about a month of training over the track.
Last year, Violette and owner Ralph Evans held Diversify out of the Classic because his frontrunning style clashed with that of the two favorites, Gun Runner and Arrogate.
Violette believes Diversify, a 5-year-old gelding by Bellamy Road, is a better horse than last year and perhaps his speed could be a deterrent for others.
“He’s gotten more empowered and braver, and I think we’ve gotten braver, letting him do what maybe he’s supposed to do all the time,” Violette said. “We’ve gotten more confidence, and I think so has he, and so has Irad. Irad has really figured him out now.”
Violette said Diversify was tired but in good order following the Whitney.
Mind Your Biscuits, beaten 3 1/2 lengths while finishing second, came out of his first two-turn try in good order, according to trainer Chad Summers, who said he has four options for his New Yorkbred’s next start. Those are the Woodward, the Grade 2, $300,000 Kelso, a one-turn mile at Belmont on Sept. 22; the Grade 3, $200,000 Lukas Classic at Churchill at 1 1/8 miles; and the Grade 3, $100,000 Ack Ack at Churchill going a mile Sept. 29.
Summers said he is leaning toward the Lukas Classic to see if the Breeders’ Cup Classic is something he wants to consider as opposed to the Dirt Mile or Sprint.
“One more shot to evaluate him hopefully on a fast track at a mile and an eighth,” Summers said.
Discreet Lover earned a career-best 103 Beyer for his third-place finish at 38-1 in the Whitney. He came out of the race “excellent,” according to trainer and co-owner Uriah St. Lewis, who was driving the horse back to Parx Racing on Sunday morning.
“I’m looking to come back and run in the Woodward,” he said. “That horse just tries all the time; all he does is try, and if he comes out of it good, let’s keep going to the next one.”