Diversify returns after three-month absence

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Diversify has new owners, but trainer Rick Violette hopes the gelding maintains his level of success when he goes for his third straight victory Wednesday at Aqueduct.

Diversify, absent for nearly three months, heads a field of seven entered in a New York-bred second-level allowance/optional $40,000 claimer at 1 1/16 miles. There is also a statebred second-level allowance/optional $40,000 claiming sprint race on the card that drew a field of 10.

Diversify, a gelding by Bellamy Road, won his first two starts, both for WinStar Farm and Violette. In July, he won a 1 1/16-mile maiden race by 4 1/2 lengths. Diversify ran very fast fractions on what was an extremely hot day. The effort “gutted him,” Violette said. “It was too tough a first race.”

Violette gave Diversify plenty of time to recover; he didn’t run again until Sept. 22 at Belmont, where he again ran very fast early but managed to draw away by 5 1/2 lengths. The race proved extremely productive as the third-, fourth-, and fifth-place finishers all came back to win their next starts. The seventh-place finisher has also since won.

As a gelding, Diversify was not going to be part of WinStar’s long-term future. WinStar entered Diversify in the Keeneland November sale; he was purchased for $210,000 by Ralph Evans and his daughter Lauren. As Ralph Evans is one of Violette’s major owners, Diversify was kept with Violette.

Wednesday’s race will be Diversify’s first around two turns.

“It could be an asset,” Violette said.

Violette expects Diversify, who will break from post 5 under Jose Ortiz, to stalk Chilly Bon Bon, who would be running back in five days if he starts. No Texting is the other potential speed in this race, which goes as the fourth on the eight-race card.

The sprint allowance, which goes as the seventh, includes the return of Riot Worthy, a perennial bridesmaid with two wins and eight seconds from 14 starts. Her runner-up finishes look better when one considers she’s been beaten by subsequent stakes winners Highway Star and Super Allison.

Riot Worthy has not run since finishing second to Super Surprise in the Fleet Indian Stakes at Saratoga in August. That was her 14th start in 11 months, so trainer Charlton Baker opted to give her a break.

“Her last few races, she stepped it up a notch, her figures got better,” Baker said. “She always trained like she was going to be a decent filly. I thought she had more, and I think she came into herself last summer. I think she’ll go on, too, because she’s come back training extremely good.”

Her competition includes Pretty Enuff, a daughter of Justenuffhumor who has won five consecutive races, including a first-level allowance race over the main track Nov. 13. Splendid Gold won this condition in June at Belmont when not offered for the claiming tag. She was claimed on Dec. 3 for $25,000 by John Toscano, who has hit at a 29 percent success rate first off the claim.