Grade 1 winner Diversify retired at 6

Owner Ralph Evans announced Sunday that his two-time Grade 1-winning New York-bred Diversify has been retired after coming out of a workout Saturday at Belmont Park with a suspensory injury.

Diversify was owned by Evans and his daughter Lauren, who purchased the horse from WinStar Farm at the 2016 Keeneland November sale for $210,000 after he had opened his career with a pair of one-sided victories that season at Belmont. A 6-year-old gelded son of Bellamy Road, Diversify retires with 10 wins in 16 starts and earnings of just under $2 million.

His Grade 1 victories came in the 2017 Jockey Club Gold Cup at Belmont Park and the 2018 Whitney at Saratoga.

Diversify was trained by the late Rick Violette and made his final start last September, finishing fifth in the Jockey Club Gold Cup. He was turned out on the farm following Violette’s death shortly thereafter and was transferred to trainer Jonathan Thomas to train for his 2019 campaign.

“He had a suspensory issue that we’ve had to deal with,” said Ralph Evans. “But it’s been a great ride a million-dollar ride. Diversify was the first horse my daughter ever owned; now she’s hooked for life. He won some of the biggest races around, and I am delighted we were able to win a second Grade 1 before Rick passed away last year. The horse meant a great deal not only to us but to Rick and his family as well.”

Diversify worked five furlongs in 1:02 in company with 2018 Travers winner Catholic Boy on Saturday.

“I thought he worked very well, and he came back from the work completely sound,” Thomas said. “But I discovered some inflammation different from the norm when I went back to check him yesterday afternoon. It was a recurrence of an old injury. You could press on, but it wouldn’t be fair to bring this horse back in any way other than the best shape possible.

“As his trainer, I want to assure he retires sound and has a happy life. Even though I didn’t get to run him, it was a real privilege to have a horse like him in our barn and to work for a man like Mr. Evans, who really spared no time or expense in trying to bring this horse back in the best way possible.”

Melissa Cohen served as Violette’s assistant throughout Diversify’s career and now works for Thomas. Upon the announcement of Diversify’s retirement, she said, “This horse did more for so many people when we needed it the most, I could never be upset about a happy retirement.”