Divisidero eyes Grade 1 Manhattan

Lightning has struck for a third time in the 23-year training career of William “Buff” Bradley, as he now finds himself with another top-class horse on his shed row in Divisidero, the winner of the Grade 1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic on Derby Day. The 4-year-old colt is owned by Gunpowder Farms LLC.

“A big horse in the barn is always nice,” Bradley said Monday at Churchill.

A run in the Grade 1 Manhattan on the June 11 Belmont Stakes card is the most likely next option for Divisidero, said Bradley, “although we really haven’t discussed it yet. Our only focus the last few months was the Woodford. It’s great when the plan actually works out.”

Bradley, who lives in Frankfort, Ky., and is based at Churchill during most of the year, trained Brass Hat to earn more than $2.1 million in a lengthy career that ended in November 2010. Not long thereafter, Groupie Doll became the stable star, winning back-to-back Eclipse Awards for top female sprinter in 2012-13 and earning more than $2.6 million.

Rivals could meet yet again

Majestic Harbor and Eagle, the one-two finishers in the Grade 2 Alysheba on the Kentucky Oaks undercard, could meet for a fifth time already this year in the Grade 1 Stephen Foster Handicap on June 18 at Churchill.

Trainer Paul McGee said the 1 1/8-mile Foster or the 1 1/2-mile Brooklyn on the Belmont undercard are options for the 8-year-old Majestic Harbor, now an earner of nearly $1.25 million for a group headed by Louisville horsewoman Loren Hebel-Osborne.

For Eagle, owned by Will Farish, “the Foster makes a lot of sense timing-wise,” said trainer Neil Howard. “We’ll either come back there or maybe just give him a little more time. He’s been hard at it.”

Majestic Harbor and Eagle faced each other three times over the winter at Fair Grounds, with Majestic Harbor winning the Feb. 20 Mineshaft by a head over Eagle. On Monday, Howard said with tongue firmly in cheek about McGee, his close colleague: “I’m really fond of the boy, but he’s making things tough on me. I’ll try my best to remain friends.”

◗ Carina Mia, the romping winner of the Grade 2 Eight Belles on the Oaks card, was due to leave Tuesday by van with other Bill Mott-trained horses “for either Belmont or Saratoga,” said Mott assistant Kenny McCarthy. The Grade 1 Acorn and a matchup with Kentucky Oaks winner Cathryn Sophia is a logical next spot for Carina Mia.