Next step for Diversify still a question

ELMONT, N.Y. - Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Diversify was at the front of the stall looking for more when his caretakers arrived at the barn Sunday morning. Whether he will be given the opportunity to do more in the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic at Del Mar on Nov. 4 has not been determined.

Diversify came out of his victory in Saturday’s Grade 1, $750,000 Jockey Club Gold Cup in good shape, but trainer Rick Violette said he and owner Ralph Evans “will take our time” before deciding whether to run in the Classic.

Diversify took advantage of the fact he was the lone speed in the Jockey Club to post a one-length victory over Keen Ice, the 6-5 favorite. Violette understands that with Arrogate and Gun Runner in the field it is unlikely Diversify would be able to dictate the pace in the Classic.

“It’s certainly not the ideal spot,” Violette said Sunday. “Our advantage of pace that we enjoyed yesterday is not going to be there in California. We’ll see ... talk to Ralph and Lauren [Evans] and we’ll go from there.”

Ralph Evans has owned horses for 50 years, Diversify was his first Grade 1 winner. On Saturday, Evans said he has already had the Breeders’ Cup experience with Upstart - third in the 2014 BC Juvenile - and he doesn’t have to run a horse in the Breeders’ Cup. But, he added, “there would be no shame to hit the board in a $6 million race.”

Moreover, by virtue of winning the Gold Cup, Diversify’s entry fees and expenses are paid for by the Breeders’ Cup.

In the Gold Cup, Diversify, a New York-bred gelding by Bellamy Road, ran 1 1/4 miles in 2:00.96 and earned a 107 Beyer Speed Figure.

Keen Ice and Pavel, separated by three-quarters of a length when second and third, respectively, behind Diversify in the Gold Cup, are expected to run in the Classic. Keen Ice may have had to move sooner than jockey Jose Ortiz wanted because Diversify was loose on the lead. Trainer Todd Pletcher doesn’t see a horse getting loose on the lead in the Classic.

“Doesn’t look like it, right?” said Pletcher, who amazingly finished second in the Gold Cup for the sixth time.

Pavel ran another solid race in the Gold Cup, just his fourth lifetime start. He was in the second flight of horses, two lengths behind Diversify, moved when Keen Ice did. The two were nearly inseparable for most of the stretch before Keen Ice edged away slightly late.

Pavel was to be flown back to California on Monday to prepare for a likely start in the Classic.

Good Samaritan, fourth in the Gold Cup, could make his next start in the Grade 1 Clark Handicap at Churchill Downs on Nov. 24.

Champagne top three possible for Juvenile

Led by winner Firenze Fire, the top three finishers from the Grade 1 Champagne are all possible for the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, their connections said Sunday.

Firenze Fire ran down Good Magic to win the Champagne by a half-length, earning a fees-paid berth into the Juvenile while winning his second graded stakes of the year. Firenze Fire also won the Grade 2 Sanford at Saratoga, in which he beat Free Drop Billy, who won Saturday’s Grade 1 Breeders’ Futurity at Keeneland.

Trainer Jason Servis said Sunday that Firenze Fire would do the bulk of his training at Belmont Park before shipping to Southern California either the Sunday or Tuesday before the race.

“Since they re-did that Belmont training track it’s deeper and I think he’ll get a little more out of it than being at Del Mar,” Servis said.

The Breeders’ Cup is run at 1 1/16 miles and will be Firenze Fire’s first start around two turns.

“I think he’ll be okay with that,” Servis said. “He seems to be a very honest horse.”
Firenze Fire, a son of Poseidon’s Warrior owned by Ron Lombardi’s Mr. Amore Stable, earned a 90 Beyer for the Champagne.

Trainer Chad Brown said he would consider running Good Magic in the Juvenile despite the fact he remains a maiden. Good Magic, second in his debut at Saratoga, ran a winning race Saturday but was just outfinished by Firenze Fire while finishing three lengths clear of Enticed, who ran third.

“He ran terrific, he was just second-best,” Brown said. “It was a big step forward for him, which I was pleased to see.”

Kiaran McLaughlin, trainer of Champagne third-place finisher Enticed, said the Juvenile is a possibility.

Disco Partner to supplement to BC Turf Sprint

Disco Partner was impressive enough winning the $150,000 Belmont Turf Sprint Invitational to prompt his owners, Frank and Patricia Generazio, to pay a $100,000 fee to nominate the son of Disco Rico to the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint on Nov. 4, trainer Christophe Clement said Sunday.

The Generazios and Clement also have Pure Sensation to run in the BC Turf Sprint, a race he finished third in last year.

Disco Partner won the Belmont Turf by 1 1/4 lengths, running six furlongs in 1:06.97 - just .10 off the Belmont Widener turf course record - and earning a 100 Beyer Speed Figure.

At Del Mar, the Turf Sprint will be run at five furlongs. Clement said jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. believes that won’t be a problem.

“It will be a concern for me, but Irad is convinced he’s shown more speed out of the gate and will get a good position,” Clement said. “Irad is very sure that he is an ideal candidate for the Breeders’ Cup. Irad is one or the top riders in the country and it’d be foolish not to listen to him.”

Plans for Yoshida to be determined

There are no set plans for Yoshida, winner of Saturday’s Grade 3, $500,000 Hill Prince for an ownership group headed by WinStar Farm and trained by Bill Mott.

Elliott Walden, president of WinStar, said no decision on his next start would be made for at least a week. Walden said options for Yoshida, should he run again this year, include the $2 million Breeders’ Cup Mile or the Grade 1 Hollywood Derby at Del Mar on Nov. 25.

“Three-year-olds on the grass, it’s tough to run against the older horses in the Breeders’ Cup,” said Walden, who noted that Tourist, last year’s BC Mile winner, ran 13th as a 3-year-old in the 2014 Mile.