Divisidero, who on Tuesday was entered for Saturday’s Grade 1 Arlington Million, will be rerouted to Saturday’s Grade 1, $500,000 Fourstardave Handicap at Saratoga, according to owner Tom Keithley.
Divisidero is winless at the Million distance of 1 1/4 miles – including a seventh-place finish in last year’s Million – and at the one-mile distance of the Fourstardave. Divisidero has been beaten two to three lengths in virtually all of his starts at 1 1/4 miles and at a mile. He did win the Grade 3 Arlington Handicap, the Arlington Million prep, at 1 3/16 miles on July 7. Divisidero is a multiple Grade 1 winner at 1 1/8 miles.
“We just weren’t sure what the track up at Saratoga would be like,” Keithley said by phone Wednesday. “We don’t think he wants a super-soft track. We think he’s a little bit quicker as far as how he’s run his races, and the mile was always our first preference.”
There were 11 horses entered for the Million. Only six were entered in the Fourstardave.
Divisidero, trained by Kelly Rubley, will be ridden by Jevian Toledo and will carry 119 pounds. He will face Heart to Heart (Julien Leparoux, 124 pounds), Yoshida (Manny Franco, 122), Delta Prince (Javier Castellano, 118), Voodoo Song (118), and Made You Look (Luis Saez, 115).
Also on Saturday’s card is the $100,000 Lure Stakes, at 1 1/16 miles, which was rescheduled after being postponed last Saturday due to heavy rain that made the turf course beyond soft.
The race underwent some modifications from when it was first drawn. Most notably, Projected, the runner-up to Voodoo Song in the Forbidden Apple last out, was supplemented to the race by trainer Chad Brown. Projected finished second in this race last year.
Projected takes the place of Ticonderoga, who was rerouted from the Lure to an allowance on Thursday.
Trainer Bill Mott also made a switch, electing to enter Forge in place of Ballagh Rocks, who Mott didn’t feel worked well on Monday.
Those entered back in the Lure were Mr. Cub, Conquest Panthera, Dalarna, Zennor, Inspector Lynley, and Blacktype. Camelot Kitten was not entered back.
This story originally appeared on DRF.com.
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