Dual Grade 1 Winner Diversify Retired from Racing

Ralph and Lauren Evans' dual grade 1 winner Diversify has been retired from racing after the reoccurrence of a suspensory injury, trainer Jonathan Thomas confirmed June 16. The 6-year-old gelding remains at Belmont Park while retirement plans are finalized.

The news was first reported by the Daily Racing Form. 

"He worked yesterday. Cooled out well, came out of the work in good order, but I noticed a little bit of abnormal inflammation in his upper suspensory area," Thomas said. "It's a reoccurrence of an old injury. I'd say at this stage it's minor. (The) horse is sound. It's in the minor stages, but certainly not something you'd want to press on with, especially given what this horse has done."

Under trainer Rick Violette Jr., Diversify won multiple stakes for New York-breds and showed he could compete at the top level with victories in the 2017 Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) and 2018 Whitney Stakes (G1) and Suburban Handicap (G2). The bay son of Bellamy Road  was last seen back in the Jockey Club Gold Cup in late September. He finished fifth and was turned out with Dr. Patty Hogan in New Jersey for time off.

Violette passed away Oct. 21 after battling lung cancer and Ralph Evans announced in January he and his daughter, Lauren, would send Diversify to Thomas, who trained Catholic Boy to victories in the both the Travers Stakes (G1) and Belmont Derby Invitational (G1T) last year. Diversify returned to the work tab at Palm Meadows Training Center in late February before moving back to Belmont Park this spring.

He drilled five furlongs in 1:02.15 over a fast main track June 15 in company with Catholic Boy.

"He's comfortable and sound and happy," Thomas said of Diversify. "It's kind of one of those injuries where it's at the very beginning, or the very early stages, and probably the only one around the barn that doesn't know he has it is him."

Melissa Cohen, an assistant to Violette, was able to continue working with Diversify when joining Thomas.

"He was an amazing horse and an absolute blessing for us in Rick's stable so we can never be upset about him retiring happy," Cohen said. "He's comfortable and he's happy, so that's all we can ask of him. He gave us more than we could have ever asked for when we needed it the most. 

"He was a big ham, everybody loved him and he was special. We're going to miss him dearly. I don't know what Ralph has arranged as far as retirement goes or what he'll do, but he'll find the absolute best place for him."

Diversify was bred in New York by Fred Hertrich III and John Fielding out of the Street Cry mare Rule One. WinStar Farm's Maverick Racing first purchased Diversify as a yearling from Taylor Made Sales Agency's consignment to the 2014 Fasig-Tipton New York Bred Yearling Sale for $150,000. WinStar then consigned him at the 2016 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, where the Evans purchased him for $210,000.

Diversify retires with a 10-2-0 record from 16 starts and earnings of $1,989,425.

"Rest assured, Mr. Evans and his daughter and his wife (Judith), they've been just an incredible support group for this horse, the ownership," Thomas said, "so I can only imagine that the horse is going to definitely be provided with a very, very good home forever."