Divining Rod rallies for Coolmore Lexington win

On a sunny, picturesque day at Keeneland on Saturday, April 11, 2015, Divining Rod put on a race to remember in the 34th running of the $250,000 Coolmore Lexington Stakes (G3).

Under a masterful ride by jockey Julien Leparoux, Divining Rod moved from the rail to the outside in third place coming around the final turn, rallied past front runners Fame and Power and Donworth for the lead, then charged down the stretch to win by three lengths to earn his first stakes victory.

Donworth, the race favorite, held on for second, while Fame and Power finished third.

"We knew there were a couple of horses with speed in there and we wanted to teach him (Divining Rod) something," said Leparoux. "He was very proficient and very relaxed behind. The dirt didn’t bother him at all, and he finished up very strong."

For Leparoux, it was the third time he's won the Coolmore Lexington. He also won it in 2013 with Winning Cause and in 2011 with Derby Kitten.

"It’s great to win at Keeneland – it’s ever better to win a graded stakes," said winning trainer Arnaud Delacour. "… (Jockey Julien Leparoux) just took back; he thought there’d be plenty lot of pace. The horse relaxed well and was great with the (dirt) kickback, and he came with a big kick at the end. Today he was very professional and I’m glad he’s learning with each start.”

Divining Rod, who is by Tapit-Precious Kitten, by Catienus, finished the 1-1/16th-mile race on Keeneland's new dirt track in 1:43.29.

Divining Rod came into the Coolmore Lexington off a third-place finish in the Tampa Bay Derby (G2) at Tampa Bay Downs on March 7. Winning that race was Carpe Diem, who also won the Toyota Blue Grass Stakes (G1) at Keeneland last Saturday, April 4.

Prior to that, Divining Rod, who won his debut race on Nov. 12, 2014 at Laurel Park, finished second in the Sam. F. Davis Stakes (G3) at Tampa Bay Downs on Jan. 31, and third in an allowance race at Tampa Bay Downs last December.

Still, Divining Rod, a home bred of Lael Stables (Mr. and Mrs. Roy Jackson), and Delacour decided to make one change before the Coolmore Lexington. They replaced jockey Luis Garcia, who had ridden Divining Rod in his last three starts, and brought in Leparoux to ride their horse.

The change made a difference, as Leparoux placed Divining Rod in just the right spot on the outside around the final turn so his horse could break away for the win.

In the race, Fame and Power, who was ridden by Irad Ortiz Jr., took the early lead into the first turn, while Divining Rod settled into the third place along the inside, and Donworth, who was ridden by Joel Rosario, fell back into sixth on the outside.

Going down the back stretch, Fame and Power continued to lead, setting fractions of :24.03, :47.90 and 1:12.90. Behind him, Donworth moved up into second along the outside of the front runner, while Divining Rod, still in third place, moved from the rail to the outside to avoid getting boxed in.

Going into the final turn, Donworth continued to run just to the outside of Fame and Power and it looked like it would become a two-horse race.

Then as the two were getting ready to exit the turn, Divining Rod roared up alongside Donworth, who suddenly found himself sandwiched between Divining Rod and Fame and Power. That move might have startled Donworth and made him slow just a little.

Either way, it did not matter as Divining Rod had all the momentum and just flew past both Donworth and Fame and Power for the lead, then widened it down the stretch and crossed the line the winner by three lengths.

Donworth regrouped and finished second by a nose over Fame and Power third.

For the Jacksons, it was their second win in the Coolmore Lexington. They also won it in 2006 with Showing Up.

Rounding out the order was Comfort, who was bumped at the start, finishing fourth, Henry Jones fifth, Tiznow R J sixth and Quimet seventh.

With the win, Divining Rod now has two wins, one second, two thirds and $249,800 in earnings in five career starts.

In addition, he earned 10 points towards a starting spot in the 2015 Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands, which will be held at Churchill Downs on Saturday, May, 2.

The dark brown colt now has 20 total qualifying points, which puts him in 21st place in the Derby qualifying standings. Entry into the Derby is limited to the top 20 point earners.

As to whether Divining Rod would run in the Derby, Delacour said, "We’ll have to see how he comes back. We’ll make up our minds after that. One race at a time. We’ll consider it for sure."

Divining Rod paid $7.60, $3.60 and $2.40, while Donworth returned $3.60 and $260, and Fame and Power paid $2.60.