Divisidero Gets Up to Win the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic
A fast early pace in the $500,000 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic (G1) step up a head to head stretch battle that was won Divisidero and his veteran jockey Edgar Prado. After sitting in a comfortable outside position Divisidero inched past World Approval to earn his first grade one victory by a neck.
The nine-furlong stake began with Midnight Storm going to the lead while Bolo was in second a length behind. World Approval was three lengths behind the leader and the eventual winner was biding his time while running comfortably in sixth with about seven lengths to make up. The leader was moving at a very honest pace, setting fractions of 23.09, 46.32, and 1:10.90.
Heading into the far turn the pace had taken its toll on Midnight Storm and Bolo and they began to fade. All the while Divisidero was starting to make up ground, well clear on the outside.
At the five sixteenth pole, Kasaqui and Triple Threat appeared to clip heels and both horses went down hard throwing their riders Paco Lopez and Jose Lezcano to the turf. Both horses sprung back to their feet and appeared to be unhurt. Lopez got up quickly and Lezcano needed a bit of help to get to his feet; both riders were able to walk off the Churchill Downs grass course.
When the horses hit the stretch it became a two horse race for the win with the William “Buff” Bradley trained Divisidero getting even with Midnight Storm, who was fighting gamely after stalking the early pace. Just before the finish line Divisidero was able to get in front and secure the win for his owners, Gunpowder Farms LLC.
After the race Bradley said, “I love winning on Derby Day. He’s a really special horse. We felt really confident coming into this race. We’re realistic. We knew this was a good bunch of horses. He’s a terrific horse and I think he’s going to show what kind of horse he is this year. Edgar (Prado) thought he’d be closer. We felt he could lay a lot closer. Edgar thought there wasn’t as much speed in here. We felt like when we got to this distance we’d let him run his race. Edgar did just a beautiful job. Edgar is our man. Once we get a jock who gets along with a horse and fits a horse, we stick with him.”
The victory of the 6.70-1 fourth betting choice yielded across the board payouts of $15.40, 7.60, 5.60. The $2 exacta with 10.20-1 World Approval paid a generous $157.80. Divisidero, a four-year-old son of Kitten’s Joy, improve his career stats to 8:4-1-2 and upped his earnings to $678,850.