Late entry, early favorite Diversify ready for the Whitney
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » It is called the sport of kings and bets have been traditionally bet by gentlemen and they will be looking to win the queen of Saratoga Springs Saturday afternoon, the Whitney Cup presented by Marylou Whitney in the winner’s circle.
The 91st running of the Grade 1, 1.2 million Whitney brought out the best to the draw at Sperry’s Restaurant patio on Caroline Street and at times was a well-mannered face-off between several, wellmeaning heavyweight champions.
After the post-position draw of the eight entries, emcee Andy Serling brought up several trainers and trainers to talk about their entries.
Trainer Rick Violette didn’t complete his entry for Diversify, the early morning favorite at odds of 7-5, convinced that his horse was ready.
“I was very concerned after the Suburban (Handicap), he
had run such a huge race and I thought four weeks might be too quick, but he kept making a liar out of me,” Rick Violette said. “He ate well, trained well and breezed awfully well on Sunday.
“His blood has a habit of kind of spiking up and down, so we had to make sure that duck was in a row and we got those results back today, so sometimes when your horse is doing good, you’re supposed to run them.”
Diversify drew the No. 6 post position and will be asked to make two turns with a challenging field to win the Whitney.
“We have the options, he can be tactical and if somebody wants to get silly up there we can certainly follow their lead,” Violette said. “We have the ability of having a very high cruising speed and going, so a lot of times we just throw the gauntlet down.”
Trainer Chad Summers saw Mind Your Biscuit, the other favorite in the field at 2-1 early morning odds, receive the No. 4 post and will race two turns for the first time ever.
“It’s a short run to the first turn and if Diversify gets hung wide, he gets hung wide,” Chad Summers said. “It hasn’t been done before, but everything that he’s always shown me his entire career is that he can do it and until he can’t I’m not going to think he can’t.”
One owner willing to throw down was longshot Dalmore who received the No. 3 post and is an early 30-1 longshot, not deterring his owner from taking a shot at the field.
“Until Rick Violette entered (Diversify) I thought we were going to be able to go wire-to-wire,” owner Ron Paolucci said. “Believe me; we’re still not discounting that plan.
“If Rick wants to get to the front you better have your running shoes on.”
When asked by Serling ‘Dalmore is going to go?’ Paolucci replied.
“I’m giving (jockey) Ricky Santana $1,500 for every quarter he’s in front.
It could be a big day for all the Dalmore connections.
The Whitney post positions are as follows: No. 1 Tapwrit (6-1), No. 2. Backyard Heaven (9-2), No. 3 Dalmore (30-1), No. 4 Mind Your Biscuits (2-1), No. 5 Discreet Lover (30-1), No. 6 Diversify (7-5), No. 7 Good Samaritan (12-1) and No. 8 McCraken (15-1).
The Whitney is also a Breeders’ Cup “Win and You’re In” for the Classic Division. The race will be broadcast live on NBCSN from 5 to 6 p.m. Saturday.