Diversify Much the Best in Whitney Stakes

The storm moved in on Saratoga Race Course with ominous speed.

In the paddock, under cover near the saddling stalls, eight horses set to run in the $1.2 million Whitney Stakes (G1) circled, then circled again. 

With lightning all around the upstate New York oval Aug. 4 as a deluge sent racegoers scurrying for cover, Mother Nature's disregard for human plans and a resulting 41-minute rain delay brought anticipation for the 1 1/8-mile Whitney to another level.

And when the field finally broke from the gate at 6:30 p.m. EDT, fleet-footed Diversify finally released that pent-up energy and ran gate-to-wire across a sloppy (sealed) track to the roar of the Saratoga crowd.

New York-breds finished 1-2 in the Whitney—a Breeders' Cup Challenge "Win and You're In" event on the road to the Nov. 3 Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) at Churchill Downs—with 8-5 choice Diversify leading fellow grade 1 winner Mind Your Biscuits on a rapid chase for home.

After jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. sent Diversify out to lead through a :23.22 quarter and a :46.50 half at peak cruising speed, there was no stopping the big bay 5-year-old's momentum. Ortiz flashed a pearly grin as he hurtled across the finish line 3 1/2 lengths in front without a spot on his white pants, the only mud on Diversify splashed up from his own kickback. The final time was 1:49.62.

"We planned on being very aggressive, period, and see what would happen," trainer Rick Violette said. "If it were to be a mistake, so be it. Irad really threw down the gauntlet at the half-mile pole. (Diversify) didn't quite drag him down there, but (Irad) said, 'Let's go,' and dared anybody to catch up."

Mind Your Biscuits, stretching out to two turns for the first time, made a brave run off the final turn in an attempt to do just that. Diversify carried 124 pounds, while his chestnut rival carried 118. Trainer Chad Summers knew his charge faced a futile task, however, as Mind Your Biscuits closed from fifth to third as three-quarters went in 1:10.70, then moved to second through a 1:36.24 mile.

"Diversify runs best when he's loose on the lead," Summers said. "The more and more you look at it on paper, they're not fast enough (to keep up with him). Diversify has good cruising speed, and once he goes that :46 and change, and he's in front by three or four (lengths), he's a tough horse to run down.

"I thought Diversify might get just a little bit tired, but he just kept going. We just let him get a little bit too loose. … We were too far back, and he had too much left."

Summers said he will still consider the 1 1/4-mile Breeders' Cup Classic for Mind Your Biscuits, who has never run at Churchill Downs. Diversify was fourth in the 2017 Clark Handicap Presented by Norton Healthcare (G1) in his lone start at the Louisville track, which came on the heels of his Jockey Club Gold Cup Stakes (G1) win at Belmont Park.

"He's a good New York-bred, but we look forward to seeing him down the road," Summers said. "He struggled at Churchill. We think we're going to love Churchill. … We'll see how he comes out of it, (but) I see no reason not to go on. Obviously, you'd like to get one more (Breeders' Cup Challenge) 'Win and You're In' to qualify and get in, but I think he showed up with another big effort here today, so I see no reason not to move forward." 

A rematch is not guaranteed. Ralph Evans, who co-owns Diversify with daughter Lauren Evans, already bypassed the Classic last year after the Jockey Club Gold Cup, also a Breeders' Cup Challenge event.

"We won one last year and didn't do it," Ralph Evans said. "I don't know if we'll do it this year or not. We won't be running in the (Sept. 1) Woodward (G1). Maybe the Jockey Club Gold Cup is next. If we pass on the Breeders' Cup, we would love to go to Dubai (for the grade 1 Dubai World Cup Sponsored by Emirates Airline). … If they change the percentages somewhat, I would consider getting one or two people to go in with me and run in the (2019) Pegasus World Cup (G1). I didn't like the way it was front-loaded last year, especially when horses like Gun Runner , Arrogate , and West Coast were around. We'll think about it."

After the top two in the Whitney, 38-1 shot Discreet Lover rounded out the trifecta, half a length back for trainer Uriah St. Lewis. It was 6 1/4 lengths farther to Tapwrit, and the order of finish was completed by Good Samaritan, McCraken, Backyard Heaven, and Dalmore.

"They don't never give him no respect," St. Lewis said. "He always goes off 38-1, 48-1, and we love it, because we bet him and we make money, and we keep making money. I'm coming back in the Woodward, I'm already telling them. Diversify ain't running back in the Woodward, but I am."

The storm before the Whitney was a continuation of precipitation in the area, including overnight rainfall of 2.3 inches that forced the New York Racing Association to move three turf races to the main track and cancel two stakes scheduled to be run on the turf course. The $100,000 Fasig-Tipton Lure Stakes was rescheduled for Aug. 11, and the $200,000 Fasig-Tipton Waya Stakes (G3T) was moved to Aug. 12. 

"It's been a wild 48 hours. It's been so unstable, weather-wise, the last few days," said Martin Panza, NYRA's senior director of racing operations. "Canceling the two turf stakes was the right thing to do. ... (Before the Whitney) there was lightning all around us. We had to wait. It wasn't a decision that left up to us. It was Mother Nature making the decision for us."

Diversify, who returned $5.20, $3.30, and $2.80, is the third New York-bred winner of the Whitney, following Commentator, who won in 2005 and 2008, and Fio Rito, who won in 1981. He boosted his earnings to $1,959,425 from 10 wins and two seconds out of 15 starts. The Bellamy Road  gelding holds a special place in the hearts of his connections, as Ralph Evans and Violette are lung-cancer survivors who both underwent surgery three years ago. 

"Having Diversify in my life has helped me," Violette said. "Being able to pay the medical bills is terrific, but to be honest, ever since this ordeal started, I've been surrounded by dozens of very good, kind, thoughtful people who care for me. Diversify has been terrific, but it's not a need. What you need are very good friends to get through something like this, and it's all been very good on that front. There have been some bad moments, but it's been rewarding and surprising to see how many people have come out of the woodwork to have my back."

As Diversify was led by co-owner Lauren Evans into the winner's circle, a rainbow appeared in the distance, putting a bright end to a brilliant run.

"To be here with the family, everybody happy, healthy, and together, it's just astonishing," Lauren Evans said. "Diversify is just in such wonderful hands, and he exceeds expectations, and that he's a New York-bred is even more spectacular."

While Ralph Evans owns multiple horses individually, Diversify and a 3-year-old Super Saver  filly named Twofer make up a two-horse string for the father-daughter combo. They bought the gelding, who was bred by Fred W. Hertrich III & John D. Fielding out of the Street Cry mare Rule One, for $210,000 from the WinStar Racing consignment to the 2016 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. WinStar bought Diversify for $150,000 from Taylor Made Sales Agency's consignment to the 2014 Fasig-Tipton New York Saratoga Preferred New York-Bred Yearling Sale and raced him twice in 2016 with Violette as trainer before putting him in the Keeneland sale.

"We go to the sales and we've got our budget, and we keep looking for additions, and when the right one comes along, we'll keep adding," Lauren Evans said. "We talk about where to go next. I'm about the racing, not interested in breeding at the moment, so Diversify is just giving us thrill upon thrill."

Bob Ehalt contributed to this story

Video: Whitney S. (G1)