Divisidero Back to Winning Ways in Red Bank
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Photo: Bill Denver/EQUI-PHOTO
Divisidero wins the Red Bank Stakes at Monmouth Park
With a last-to-first dash down Monmouth Park's turf course Sept. 1, Gunpowder Farms and Brereton Jones' Divisidero returned to the winner's circle for the first time in over a year when taking the $147,500 Red Bank Stakes (G3T).
The 7-year-old son of Kitten's Joy was second in three of his four previous outings this year. His most recent victory before Sunday came in July 2018 when he took the Arlington Handicap (G3T) at Arlington International Racecourse.
"He's been so close for a while now," winning trainer Kelly Rubley said. "I thought today was a very patient ride, and the pace scenario worked out for us. I'm thrilled. We've been waiting a long time for this. He shows up every time and he tries, but it has been a while between wins."
Under jockey Julian Pimentel, Divisidero settled last of five in the one-mile Red Bank. Diamond King took the lead and set fractions of :23.27 and :46.98 through the first half-mile, with Maraud shortening the pacesetter's lead from second. Diamond King led three-quarters in 1:10.38 before relinquishing the front position. Maraud briefly took over in the stretch, but Pimentel asked Divisidero to go and the turf veteran was flying.
After a four-wide move, Divisidero passed his competitors and willingly got up by a length. He stopped the clock in 1:34.37 on firm going as the 8-5 second choice.
"They were going pretty quick early, and I think that definitely helped," Pimentel said. "He's a really nice horse. He won pretty easily, going away. I always felt like I had a lot of horse. I was just biding my time because I had horses outside of me. But when I asked him to go, he really took off. He really responded."
"He's a wonderful horse to train. Very consistent," Rubley said. "You can't take anything away from him. Once I saw the half-mile fraction, I thought we were OK (being last). Julian did a real nice job of being patient and waiting for the right time to make his move."
Firey Speech, the favorite, passed Maraud for second, and Say the Word and Diamond King completed the order of finish.
Divisidero was bred in Kentucky by Hinkle Farms out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Madame Du Lac. His dam has an Into Mischief yearling colt and was bred to Medaglia d'Oro this year. Hinkle is consigning the Into Mischief colt as Hip 1258 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale.
Hinkle also consigned Divisidero at the 2013 September sale, where Margaux Farm, agent, purchased the bay for $250,000.
Divisidero, a two-time winner of the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic Stakes (G1T) at Churchill Downs, has earned $1,604,539 with a 7-6-4 record in 28 starts.
The Red Bank highlighted four stakes on Monmouth's Sunday card, which also included the $106,000 Sorority Stakes for 2-year-old fillies on turf, the $79,500 Safely Kept Stakes for fillies and mares on turf, and the $104,000 Sapling Stakes for 2-year-olds on the main track.
Godolphin homebred Micheline, a daughter of Bernardini out of dual grade 1 winner Panty Raid, broke her maiden in her second start. The Michael Stidham trainee settled in fifth under Nik Juarez before rallying to a 1 3/4-length victory, completing a mile in 1:37.19.
Goldwood led every step of the five-furlong Safely Kept, winning her fourth consecutive stakes this year at the New Jersey track for trainer Jorge Duarte Jr. and owner/breeder Colts Neck Stables. Jose Ferrer took the 5-year-old Medaglia d'Oro mare to the front, and she wrapped up the race in :56.09.
Colts Neck scored again when Big City Bob rallied to a 26-1 upset in the one-mile Sapling. Buck Pond Farm bred the Shanghai Bobby colt, also trained by Duarte. Despite being three to four paths wide under Christopher DeCarlo, Big City Bob got up by a neck to win in 1:39.29 on a fast track. He led almost every step when he broke his maiden second time out Aug. 11.