Breeders' Cup Classic: Violette spreads out options with Diversify

DEL MAR, Calif. – A decision will need to be made by Monday, the day pre-entries are due to be submitted, as to whether Diversify will head west and compete in the Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 4 here at Del Mar, and the implications of his potential participation are far-reaching, not only in terms of field size, but, more importantly, the likely pace scenario.

Diversify comes off a front-running tally Oct. 7 in the Jockey Club Gold Cup, a victory that gives owner Ralph Evans and trainer Rick Violette a free roll in the Classic through the Win and You’re In program. The allure of a $6 million race is no doubt tempting, but Diversify does his best running on the lead, and there’s no guarantee he’d make the top in this field, what with Collected competing on his favorite track. Diversify has never raced outside of New York, and the depth of this Classic field – with Arrogate, Gun Runner, and West Coast among those also pointing to the race – makes it by far the toughest assignment Diversify will have faced.

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But Diversify is in the best form of his career.

It’s not an easy decision.

“We’re being cautious,” Violette said Wednesday morning from New York. “He’s going to breeze this weekend, and we’ll make a decision after that.

“He’s done great since the Jockey Club Gold Cup. It’s a tougher race than the Jockey Club Gold Cup. Baffert has an arsenal, and there’s Gun Runner. We don’t want to go out there just for the seafood and the ocean view.”

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Trainer Bob Baffert’s lineup includes Arrogate, Collected, Mubtaahij, and West Coast. Those four are among a field of 10 to 12 that is expected to be pre-entered in the Classic on Monday, then officially announced next Wednesday, Oct. 25. At that point, horses can be pre-entered in up to two races. Final entries are due and posts drawn on Oct. 30, and that is the deadline for horses who were pre-entered in two races to commit to one race.

If Diversify does not run, Collected would be the biggest beneficiary from a pace standpoint. Horses such as Arrogate, Gun Runner, Pavel, and West Coast all figure to be forwardly placed.

Diversify has won seven of 10 starts, with six of those wins from gate to wire. He won the Saginaw for New York-breds at Belmont Park in July after closely attending the pace. He is 4 for 4 under Irad Ortiz Jr., who would ride Diversify in the Classic.

“Irad thinks he’d be fine stalking, but obviously he’s at his best controlling the pace,” Violette said. “When he gets to go an open gallop, he’s very dangerous.

“I’d love to go. It’s a great option with the Win and You’re In. But, like Ralph said, this is a 4-year-old gelding who we’d like to have around at 5 and 6.”

Violette said that if Diversify does not run in the Classic, the most likely itinerary for him in upcoming months would be a start in either the Clark at Churchill Downs on Nov. 24 or the Cigar Mile at Aqueduct on Dec. 2, followed by the Pegasus – a race worth more than twice the Classic – at Gulfstream on Jan. 27.

In other Classic developments:

◗ War Decree, a potential Classic runner who won on synthetic in Ireland in his last start, is one of eight horses trainer Aidan O’Brien has entered in a current field of 17 for the Group 1 Champion Stakes at a bit more than nine furlongs on turf on Saturday at Ascot.

◗ Mubtaahij worked five furlongs in 59.80 seconds on Tuesday at Santa Anita, equaling the fastest drill of 33 at the distance that morning.

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