Divisidero Wins Peninne Ridge in Final Stride

Gunpowder Farms' Divisidero overcame a troubled start and a wide trip to chase down his rivals and win the $200,000 Pennine Ridge Stakes for 3-year-olds by a neck May 30 at Belmont Park .

Divisidero completed the 1 1/8-mile race in 1:48.03 on firm turf, record time for the inner turf course at Belmont. The Pennine Ridge serves as a local prep for the grade I Belmont Derby on July 4.

The son of Kitten's Joy   broke awkwardly, bumping into the starting gate and jarring jockey Rafael Hernandez out of his left stirrup. After recovering his footing, the rider hustled his charge back into contention, tracking an easy pace from the outside of the pack.

Made in Detroit led the field, covering the opening quarter-mile in :25.13, a half-mile in :49.50 and six furlongs in 1:13.11. Hernandez guided Divisidero in an early move to close on the leaders entering the far turn and drove on to defeat Takeover Target in the final stride.

"Out of the gate, my horse stumbled real bad," Hernandez said after the race. "I lost my left iron. In the turn he was a little bit wide. On the backside I had to make a move because he's not used to being like that, he always comes from behind. But there was no pace at all so I had to make a move and let him run a little bit and then set the pace. When turning for home, I just let him run. He knows what to do."

The winner completed the trip on the inner turf labeled as firm, in 1:48.03. Divisidero returned $6.30 for a $2 win bet while the $120,000 winner's share of the purse boosted his bankroll to $301,000.

Chad Brown's favored coupled entry of Takeover Target and Startup Nation finished a respective second and third. World Approval, Made in Detroit, Eh Cumpari, and Rock Eagle completed the order of finish. Chief Kitten was scratched.

Trainer Buff Bradley was pleased with his trainee's performance, who boasts a record of three wins and a third-place finish in only four career starts, including a grade II score in the American Turf May 2 at Churchill Downs in his previous start. Bradley cited the $1.25 million Belmont Derby as his colt's next target.

"(Rafael) did a great job getting him into position once he realized the pace was pretty slow up front," said Bradley. "So he got him up there and then sat on him. Coming down the lane, we felt pretty good. We know (Divisidero will) run a horse down. (The Belmont Derby has) been our plan all along. So we hope we can come back and make some noise on July 4th."

Divisidero, bred in Kentucy by Hinkle Farms, is out of the Lemon Drop Kid   mare Madame Du Lac.