Divining Rod Represented by First Winner in Illinois
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Photo: Ellen Pons
Divining Rod at Country Life Farm
Country Life Farm's freshman sire Divining Rod was represented by his first winner when Carnaval Conquest took a 4 1/2-furlong maiden special weight July 6 by 4 3/4 lengths. He won at Fanduel Sportsbook and Horse Racing, the former Fairmount Park in Southern Illinois.
Mary Obermier bred the colt in Illinois out of the winning Henny Hughes daughter Queen Nine. Making his racing debut for GAB Secret Acres and trainer Gabe Retana, Carnaval Conquest became his dam's third winner from five starters.
Queen Nine was claimed by Ken and Sarah Ramsey in 2014 and joined their broodmare band. Her first four foals are all by the Ramseys' turf champion Kitten's Joy . Obermier acquired the mare, a half sister to grade 2-placed winner News Pending and stakes-placed winner Little Mo , when she failed to sell at the 2018 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. She produced a filly this year by One Go All Go .
Divining Rod is a son of Tapit out of Precious Kitten , a grade 1-winning half sister to Kitten's Joy. He won or placed in eight graded stakes, capturing the 2015 Coolmore Lexington Stakes (G3) and finishing third in the Xpressbet.com Preakness Stakes (G1). At 4, he was second in the Cigar Mile Handicap (G1). He retired with a 5-4-5 record from 17 starts and earned $882,604. He stood this year for an advertised fee of $5,000.