Diversify Wins Jockey Club Gold Cup

Diversify offered a challenge to come and get him in the $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) Oct. 7 at Belmont Park, but no one did.

Making his first foray into graded company with a top-level bid for trainer Rick Violette Jr., Lauren and Ralph Evans' 4-year-old New York-bred Bellamy Road  gelding took the lead early in the 1 1/4-mile Jockey Club Gold Cup and held onto the advantage even when 6-5 favorite Keen Ice  tried to chase him down.

Joining Haynesfield  (2010) and Funny Cide (2004) as Jockey Club Gold Cup winners from the Empire State this century, Diversify got a perfect trip free and clear on the front end under Irad Ortiz Jr. Opening fractions of :24.17 and :47.74 paved the way for him to carry on through a slightly quicker three-quarters in 1:11.42, with plenty left for a 1:36.08 mile. The final time was 2:00.96 on a fast track.

"We couldn't have dreamed of a better scenario," Violette said. "The first quarter, going in twenty-four (seconds) was ideal. He's done nothing but get better from the early summer until now. He's always been a nice horse, but he's certainly jumped into the major leagues here today."

Diversify soared to an 11 1/2-length win in the Aug. 21 Evan Shipman Stakes going 1 1/8 miles against fellow state-breds at Saratoga Race Course, and took the July 2 Saginaw Stakes going 1 1/16 miles at Belmont Park. He had never raced in a graded stakes before Saturday, and took on open company for the first time since a runner-up finish in an April allowance at Belmont.

"(Keen Ice) might've moved a little earlier than he wanted to because we were always loose on the lead," Violette said. "The pace certainly made the race for us. My only instructions to Irad were to ride him like he rode him in Saratoga."

Diversify, bred by Fred W. Hertrich III and John D. Fielding out of the Street Cry (IRE) mare Rule One, was a $210,000 purchase by his current connections from WinStar Racing's consignment to the 2016 Keeneland November breeding stock sale. He also went through the ring at the 2014 Fasig-Tipton preferred New York-bred yearling sale, where he was picked up for $150,000 from Taylor Made Sales Agency by WinStar partnership Maverick Racing.



This story will be updated.