DIVISIDERO BOUNDS TOWARD MILLION WITH ARLINGTON HANDICAP WIN

By Bailey Gallison —-

Divisidero; Arlington Photos

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, Ill. (July 7, 2018) – Gunpowder Farms’ patience and determination to win at the Chicagoland oval paid off when Divisidero captured the 83rd running of the Grade III $100,000 Arlington Handicap at Arlington International Racecourse on Saturday.

Making his third start for conditioner Kelly Rubley under jockey Jevian Toledo, the 6-year-old son of Kitten’s Joy bobbled at the start before finding his feet in the opening stages of the 1 3/16-miles event for 3-year-olds and upward over a firm turf course. Content to sit at the back of the pack early while the pacesetting Roman Approval set fractions of 23.99, 48.83, and 1:12.69, Toledo urged his mount four-wide around the final turn to quickly make up ground. Divisidero hit the top of the stretch in front in 1:36.70, circled the field and came home to win by a half-length in a final time of 1:54.03 to give his trainer the first graded stakes victory of her career.

“First off, thanks to the owner and Kelly for the opportunity to ride such a nice horse,” said Toledo. “He gave me everything he had. I think he needed the couple of races off the layoff. Kelly did a great job to get him ready for this race, and we got the job done.”

“It has certainly been an experience, one I am grateful for the opportunity to have had,” said Rubley. “It’s very exciting, I can’t tell you how excited we all are. I think this horse is versatile. He can run a mile, and I was confident he could get this mile-and-three-sixteenths. Our options are open.”

Phipps Stable’s Revved Up, trained by Claude McGaughey III, sat mid-pack early under rider Jose Lezcano before being set down in the stretch to capture second by a half-length over Pin Oak Stable’s Mike Stidham trainee Synchrony, who went off as the post-time wagering favorite under jockey Joe Bravo.

“He ran a good race,” Lezcano said. “He broke well and we got the position we wanted. He’s a fighting horse. He was fighting with (Synchrony) the whole way but he didn’t see (Divisidero) go by outside.

“Going out there I thought I was the best horse,” Bravo said. “I’m real proud of Synchrony today. He came back healthy. I take my hat off to the two horses that beat us. This was a good race for us.”

Winning for the sixth time in 19 career starts, Divisidero boosted his career earnings to $1,244,750 with the winner’s share of $57,000. Divisidero returned $7, $5, and $3, while Revved Up paid $10.20 and $5. Synchrony returned $2.40.

Divisidero is out of the unraced Lemon Drop Kid mare Madam Du Lac, who produced stakes winner Gunnison and graded stakes placed Kitten’s Kid. He was purchased for $250,000 by Margaux Farm at Keeneland’s September Yearling Sale in 2013 from Hinkle Farm.

Second-place finisher Revved Up will go through the Fasig-Tipton sales ring for their Summer Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale, which is on Monday, July 9. He will be consigned by Claiborne Farm and is listed as Hip 504.

The top three finishers receive a free entry with starting fees waived into the Grade I $1,000,000 Arlington Million on Aug. 11, a “Win and You’re In” event for the Grade I $4,000,000 Breeders’ Cup Turf at Churchill Downs on Nov. 3.

Tizzarunner, Just Howard, Twenty Four Seven, Compass Zone, Western Elegance, Roman Approval and Converge completed the order of running. Christian C and Hot Dad were scratched.

Arlington International Racecourse – the Chicago area’s premier Thoroughbred racetrack located in Arlington Heights, Ill. – will run a 71-day meet in 2018 from May 4 through September 22. Arlington International Racecourse, whose parent company is Churchill Downs Incorporated (Nasdaq: CHDN), also operates 10 off-track, simulcast-wagering facilities in Aurora, Chicago, Hoffman Estates, Waukegan, Villa Park, Rockford, Hodgkins, McHenry, Green Oaks and Orland Hills. Arlington International Racecourse is a proud member of America’s Best Racing. Information on Arlington International Racecourse and Trackside OTB can be found online at www.arlingtonpark.com, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/arlingtonpark and www.facebook.com/tracksideotb, and on Twitter at @Arlington_Park for the latest happenings, @ArlingtonRacing for the latest racing news and @TracksideOTB for all things pertaining to off-track wagering.