Diversify named New York-bred horse of the year

Grade 1 winner Diversify was honored as the New York-bred horse of the year and also took home special recognition from Daily Racing Form at New York Thoroughbred Inc.’s annual awards banquet this week in Saratoga Springs, sponsored by the New York State Thoroughbred Breeding and Development Fund.

Diversify, a gelding by New York sire Bellamy Road, was bred by Fred Hertrich III and John Fielding. He races in the colors of Lauren and Ralph Evans, and was trained by the late Rick Violette, who died last October. Diversify, who won the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup in 2017, added the Grade 2 Suburban and Grade 1 Whitney in 2018. Those two victories also earned him recognition from Daily Racing Form for recording the top Beyer Speed Figure by a New York-bred on the season, as he earned a Beyer of 111 in the Suburban and a 110 in the Whitney.

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Diversify was also voted New York's champion older dirt male, and his dam, the Street Cry mare Rule One, was named the state's broodmare of the year.

Diversify was part of an outstanding year for New York-breds competing at the top level, as fellow Grade 1/Group 1 winners Audible (3-year-old male), Fourstar Crook (turf female), Mind Your Biscuits (male sprinter), and Voodoo Song (turf male) were also honored at the awards dinner. Mind Your Biscuits had been the state's horse of the year in both 2016 and 2017.

Holiday Disguise (older dirt female, female sprinter) joined Diversify as a multiple category winner on the night, while her half-sister Midnight Disguise (3-year-old filly) also earned hardware. Somelikeithotbrown and Sue's Fortune were named the state's outstanding 2-year-old male and female, respectively.

Chester and Mary Broman were honored as New York's leading breeders for the third straight year, and sixth time overall, adding to trophies earned in 2004, 2011, 2014, 2016, and 2017.

Jeremiah C. Englehart was honored as the New York-bred trainer of the year, while Eclipse Award winner Irad Ortiz Jr. earned the jockey title.