Patience Could Pay Off for Team Divisidero in Manhattan

There were never any doubts where Divisidero's ability is concerned.

Apart from one confidence-building allowance start at Keeneland this spring, the Kitten's Joy   horse has been entered exclusively in graded company since a win at first asking, and jumped from maiden to grade 2 winner in a three-start span as a sophomore back in 2015.

But Divisidero needed time. While he never had major issues or required surgery, trainer William "Buff" Bradley could tell when his developing body required rest and the opportunity to grow up to the next level. That's why the talented 5-year-old is about to make just his 14th start.

"Buff would call us and say, 'I could keep going with him, but if I do, we're going to cross a point where it's going to effect the longevity of his career," recalled owner Tom Keithley of Gunpowder Farms. "When he was up-front about that and told us, each time we wanted to do what's best for the horse. We want each of our horses to leave after their racing careers just as healthy as when they entered them. We want this horse to move to whatever he does next and be capable of doing anything a 'normal' horse would do."

June 10 at Belmont Park, in the race before the Belmont Stakes Presented by NYRA Bets (G1), Divisidero will look to reward that patience with a Woodford Reserve Manhattan (G1T) victory. This is the third year he has shipped from Bradley's Louisville base to run over the Belmont lawn, where he won the 2015 Pennine Ridge as a 3-year-old and finished fifth in the 2016 Manhattan behind international star Flintshire  , who is now retired to Hill 'n' Dale Farm.

Divisidero was given an eight-month layoff after that effort, and eased into form this season with a third in the Ft. Lauderdale Stakes (G2T), a sixth after bobbling at the start of the Gulfstream Park Turf Handicap (G1T), and a second by a nose in that Keeneland allowance. Last time out, he executed a successful title defense with a powerful rally over Beach Patrol in the May 6 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic Stakes (G1T) at Churchill Downs. He'll chase his second consecutive grade 1 and third top-level victory overall.

"Going into this race, I think he's where he needs to be," Bradley said. "He is on it, and shipped up here very well and is very happy here. He marches to the track. He's not just walking there. It's like he's saying, 'Let's get there! Let's do this!'

"When you see him happy like that and ready to go, it gives you a good feeling."

Set to depart post 7 under Hall of Fame rider John Velazquez in the 1 1/4-mile inner turf test, Divisidero will take on Beach Patrol again as that one heads a trio for trainer Chad Brown, who has won the Manhattan four years in a row. 

"He's a very consistent horse," Brown said of the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic runner-up. "He ran well last time setting an easy pace on softer turf, but I do think he prefers firmer turf, which he should get on Saturday given the forecast. I'll leave it up to (jockey Florent Geroux), but he should be forwardly placed again and he's been training well."

Michael Dubb, Sheep Pond Partners, and Bethlehem Stables' 2016 Man o' War Stakes (G1T) winner Wake Forest will look to rebound for Brown after finishing fifth in this year's Man o' War May 13, while Juddmonte Farm's Time Test made a favorable impression in his first start with Brown, when he just missed by a nose in Belmont's May 6 Fort Marcy (G3T).

Julien Leparoux, who rode Divisidero in the Turf Classic, opted to stay with Live Oak Plantation's May 20 Longines Dixie Stakes (G2T) winner World Approval, who is the 3-1 morning-line favorite. Undefeated in two starts this year, the Northern Afleet   gelding enters off a decisive 2 1/4-length victory last time out in the Dixie for trainer Mark Casse. World Approval finished third in last year's Manhattan, and followed up that performance with a grade 1 victory in the United Nations at Monmouth Park. 

Ascend, who won the Henry S. Clark in his stakes debut last time out; Applicator, runner-up in April's Miami Mile (G3T) at Gulfstream Park; Potemkin, a lightly-raced 6-year-old and group stakes winner based primarily in Germany for trainer Andreas Wohler; and Sadler's Joy, a burgeoning turf star who finished third in the Man o' War in his most recent start, complete the field.

Woodford Reserve Manhattan S. (G1)

Belmont Park, Saturday, June 10, 2017, Race 10

• 1 1/4m
• Inner turf
• $1,000,000
• 4 yo's & up
• 5:37 PM (local)

PP	Horse	Jockey	Wgt	Trainer	M/L
1	1Beach Patrol (KY)	Florent Geroux	122	Chad C. Brown	4/1
2	2Wake Forest (GER)	Irad Ortiz, Jr.	122	Chad C. Brown	8/1
3	3World Approval (FL)	Julien R. Leparoux	122	Mark E. Casse	3/1
4	4Time Test (GB)	Javier Castellano	116	Chad C. Brown	5/1
5	5Ascend (KY)	Jose L. Ortiz	114	H. Graham Motion	20/1
6	6Potemkin (GER)	Joel Rosario	120	Andreas Wohler	8/1
7	7Divisidero (KY)	John R. Velazquez	124	William B. Bradley	4/1
8	8Applicator (KY)	Paco Lopez	114	Mikhail Yanakov	30/1
9	9Sadler's Joy (KY)	Mike E. Smith	118	Thomas Albertrani	6/1