Divisidero Has Buzz in Redrawn Palm Beach

He may only have one start under his belt, but Gunpowder Farms' Divisidero has created quite a stir at Gulfstream Park. His eye-catching maiden win Feb. 7 has earned him a shot at a graded-stakes victory in just his second career outing. Trained by Buff Bradley, the 3-year-old son of Kitten's Joy   was entered to contest the March 7 $150,000 Palm Beach Stakes (gr. IIIT).



Originally slated for Feb. 28, the Palm Beach was redrawn March 4 after the second half of the racing program was scraped due to torrential rains.



"I always said, 'If they win with me first time out, they're a pretty special horse,'" said Bradley, who typically does not have his trainees at their sharpest for their debuts.



Divisidero, bred in Kentucky by Hinkle Farm and a $250,000 purchase at the 2013 Keeneland September yearling sale, has so far met the expectations set by his purchase price. Overlooked by bettors at 25-1 in his initial outing in a field of 13, he opened many eyes by race's end, closing from 10 lengths off the pace to run down favorite Tapkee to win by half a length.



"We thought he would run a big race," Bradley said."You're not sitting there saying you're going to win, because you're running against the top horses around and top maidens. In the race that we were in, there were horses from (trainers) Chad Brown, Bill Mott, and Todd Pletcher, so it was tough, but he showed us a lot of run that day and overcame going wide and being far back. He doesn't really need to be that far back."



Bradley said Divisidero, despite his inexperience, has a mature mind that makes stepping him up to graded stakes competition seem like the next logical step.



"He's really coming around," Bradley said. "He's picked up weight since his last race and has really trained very well, so that's why we decided to enter him. Mentally, he's a pretty cool horse. I told his owners, 'That's what makes a racehorse, what he does.' He shows class, and when he gets out on the track he's all business, but when he's back in the stall, he knows how to rest. With his mentality, I think he knows how to relax and run and do what you want, and he listens to the jockey."



Rafael Hernandez returns aboard Divisidero from the outside.



Ol Memorial Stable's Croninthebarbarian is among the more experienced 3-year-olds Divisidero will face in the 1 1/16-mile Palm Beach. Croninthebarbarian, winner of the Kentucky Downs Juvenile Stakes last September, has hit the board in three South Florida stakes since November. The well-conformed, muscular son of Stroll   most recently finished third, three-quarters of a length from victory in Gulfstream's Kitten's Joy Stakes Jan. 24.



"The horse always shows up," said Zack Simms, trainer Gary Simms' son and assistant. "He has a ton of heart, and he's a hard-knocker. He's a grinder. I think if he gets the right trip, he's going to give us a big performance."



Croninthebarbarian came six-wide in the stretch of the Kitten's Joy and got caught five-wide when rallying for third in the Dania Beach Stakse (gr. IIIT) Jan 3. Prior to those efforts, the colt lost by an unlucky nose in the Pulpit Stakes  Nov. 29 at Gulfstream Park West.



"He's been wide in his last couple of races and maybe moved a little late, but for the most part, we're looking forward to a better trip this time, and hopefully we can get it done," said Simms.



After finishing a head behind Croninthebarbarian in the Pulpit, the Brown-trained Night Prowler found himself the right trip in his last start, when he got up in time to win the 7 1/2-furlong Dania Beach in his 3-year-old debut. The gelded son of Giant's Causeway  —Mary's Follies, by More Than Ready  , has never finished out of the money in four starts.



"We're really proud of the way this horse has developed," Brown said."We were looking forward to running him (last Saturday), but hopefully he maintains his good form in his training all week."



Paul Pompa Jr.'s homebred tuned up for the Palm Beach with a four-furlong breeze on the turf March 2 at Palm Meadows, covering the distance in :49 4/5.



"He's easy," said Brown, whose trainee is scheduled to be ridden by Javier Castellano."He's been very laid back since we gelded him when he was two. It's really just changed this horse's demeanor and really his whole career."