Divisidero Turns On Jets in American Turf
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Gunpowder
Farms’ Divisidero rocketed past the bulk of the field in the stretch to
win the 24th running of the $250,000 American Turf (GII) Presented by
Ram Trucks
for 3-year-olds by three-quarters of a length over A Lot.e
Trained by
Buff Bradley and ridden by Rafael Hernandez, Divisidero covered the 1
1/16 miles on a firm Matt Winn Turf Course in 1:41.59.
Tuba led
the field of 13 through fractions of :24.03 and :48.69 while Divisidero
raced near the back of the pack with only two horses beaten approaching
the far turn. At the three-eighths pole,
Hernandez angled Divisidero to the outside and turning for home came
widest of all to begin his charge.
A Lot had taken over in upper stretch but could not hold off Divisidero in the final sixteenth of a mile.
The
victory was worth $141,050 and increased Divisidero’s earnings to
$179,450 with a record of 3-2-0-1.Divisidero is a Kentucky-bred son of
Kitten’s Joy out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Madame Du
Lac.
Divisidero
returned $19.20, $9.20 and $6.80. A Lot, ridden by John Velazquez,
returned $5.80 and $4.80. World Approval finished 1 ¾ lengths back in
third under Julien Leparoux and returned $7.60
to show.
It was
another 2 ¼ lengths back to Luck of the Kitten, who was followed in
order by Royal Son, Nun the Less, Firespike, Another Lemon Drop, Tuba,
Indianaughty, Conquest Typhoon, Wireless Future
and Majestico.
AMERICAN TURF PRESENTED BY RAM TRUCKS QUOTES
RAFAEL HERNANDEZ, jockey of DIVISIDERO (winner)
“We broke good. The race
set up perfect for us and the first turn I lost a little ground because I
was pushed me a little bit out so my horse stayed there he never took
himself back or anything. At the three-eighths
I started asking, he started picking up and just saving more ground.
Turning for home we got him to the lead and he [Divisidero] did the
rest."
BUFF BRADLEY, trainer of DIVISIDERO (winner)
“We worried a little bit
yesterday because it looked like the turf course favored speed, but I
told Rafael (Hernandez), ‘Don’t take him out of his game and let him run
his race.’ He’s an awesome horse. He professional
already and it’s just his third race. It’s unbelievable. The owners have
been great, the Gunpowder Stables. We’ve come up with a plan to give
this horse plenty of time, and that’s what’s helped us.” (Next?) “We’ve
got some ideas, but I’m not sure we’ve firmed
everything up yet.”
JOHN VELAZQUEZ, jockey of A LOT (second)
"The other horse passed
him; he didn't even know the other horse passed him. He just kept
looking at the infield. ... He didn't pay attention. He kept looking at
the infield. He didn't care. After the horse passed
him – he was like two lengths in front of him – he started galloping
out.''
BILL MOTT, trainer of A LOT (second)
“He (John Velazquez)
thought that maybe he was waiting on other horses a little bit. He
thought that when he made the lead that he was waiting on somebody and
then that horse just blew by him. He ran pretty well,
he didn’t win but not bad.”
JULIEN LEPAROUX, jockey of WORLD APPROVAL (third)
“He ran huge. From the 14
hole, I just wanted to be patient and save ground around the first turn.
I was right behind the winner at the quarter-pole, but he just
outkicked us. He ran a big race and finished very
strong.”
MARK CASSE, trainer of WORLD APPROVAL (third) and Conquest Typhoon (11th)
“Conquest Typhoon was just
disappointing. He seemed a little flat and was carried out in both
turns. The other horse (World Approval) ran good. The more he learns
each race, the better he will get. And the further
he runs, he will like that too.”
Source: Churchill Downs
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