Divining Rod Stretches Out for Fair Hill Work

Lael Stables' Divining Rod, a grade III winner who has been away from the races since last August, worked five furlongs at Fair Hill Training Center July 14 in preparation for his 4-year-old debut.

In 2015 the Tapit   colt won the Coolmore Lexington Stakes (gr. III) and finished third in the Preakness Stakes (gr. I), Ohio Derby, and Indiana Derby (gr. III). After a fifth-place finish in the Smarty Jones Stakes (gr. III), an August prep for the Pennsylvania Derby (gr. II), he was sent to Rood and Riddle Equine Hospital and diagnosed with some "wear and tear," trainer Arnaud Delacour said.

Divining Rod worked five furlongs on the Tapeta surface at Fair Hill in 1:01, the fastest of five at the distance. It was his fifth breeze since June 9.

"I thought he did good," Delacour told Maryland Jockey Club media officials. "It was the kind of breeze we were looking for his first five-eighths (work since his return to training). He had a good blowout of it and seemed to come back well. He was great. He was aggressive, more aggressive with the company, and I was pleased with what I saw."

Delacour said the colt could return to the races in mid-August.