Grade 1-winning turf horse Divisidero retires to stud in Kentucky

Divisidero, a multiple Grade 1-winning son of leading sire Kitten’s Joy, has been retired to stand at Brereton C. Jones’ Airdrie Stud, the farm announced Tuesday. His stud fee will be $7,500.

An eye-catching winner in his Gulfstream Park debut for owner Gunpowder Farm and trainer Buff Bradley, Divisidero quickly gained national attention when taking the Grade 2 American Turf on the Kentucky Derby undercard in just his third career start. In his next start, Divisidero set a new track record at Belmont Park for 1 1/8 miles when besting subsequent turf stars Takeover Target and World Approval in the Pennine Ridge.

Divisidero’s signature victories came in back-to-back runnings of the Grade 1 Woodford Reserve Turf Classic at Churchill Downs.

Transferred to the barn of trainer Kelly Rubley prior to his 2018 season, Divisidero went on to take that year’s Grade 3 Arlington Handicap and placed in the one-mile Grade 1 Fourstardave Handicap at Saratoga before coming up just 3/4 of a length short in the Breeders’ Cup Mile. A winner of Monmouth Park’s Grade 3 Red Bank at a mile in his penultimate start of 2019, he was beaten by just 1 1/2 lengths in his career finale, the Grade 1 Shadwell Turf Mile at Keeneland.

Following an illustrious career where he tallied 13 triple-digit Beyer Speed Figures, Divisidero retires sound with earnings of $1,606,762, and the distinction of having won a graded event every year in which he ran.

“Divisidero is a multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire by one of the best stallions in the world and from one of the most important female families the breed has known,” said Airdrie Stud’s Bret Jones. “When he was at his best, he beat the top turf horses in America at the Grade 1 level and did so with the turn of foot of a special horse.

"He deserves every chance to become an important sire, and we are going to give him that opportunity by supporting him heavily here at Airdrie.”

Bred by Hinkle Farms out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare, Madame Du Lac, Divisidero was purchased for $250,000 by Josh Stevens, then of Margaux Farm, on behalf of Gunpowder Farms at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. His rich pedigree traces in tail-female line to the legendary blue hen mare, Cosmah, ancestress of breed-shaping stallions Northern Dancer, Halo and Danehill.