Divining Rod Looking Toward Preakness
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Lael Stables' Divining Rod, a three-length winner of the Coolmore Lexington Stakes (gr. III) April 11 at Keeneland, is being pointed to the $1.5 million Preakness Stakes (gr. I), the second jewel of the Triple Crown May 16 at Pimlico Race Course.
It would be the first Preakness starter for trainer Arnaud Delacour, who is gearing up for his return to the Fair Hill Training Center in Elkton, Md. after spending the winter in Florida.
"Yes, I'm thinking of the Preakness," Delacour said. "The timing seems right. It's five weeks after the Lexington. We had the Preakness in mind before we entered in the Lexington, hoping he would step up to that caliber of horses. His win in the Lexington was very encouraging."
A 3-year-old son of Tapit , Divining Rod was beaten a neck in the Sam F. Davis (gr. III) Jan. 31 at Tampa Bay Downs and ran a troubled third in the Tampa Bay Derby (gr. II) March 7 before his breakthrough victory at Keeneland. Under jockey Julien Leparoux, he tracked the early pace before swinging outside and finishing full of run in 1:43.29 for 1 1/16 miles.
NOVAK: Divining Rod Convincing in Coolmore Lexington
"I was very pleased because he really did it the right way," Delacour said. "He took back a little bit, just relaxed there, and came with a big run in the stretch; so that was pretty exciting. He came back very well from it."