James J. Barry’s DIVINE PARK (Chester House) approached the final turn with
Commentator (Distorted Humor) three lengths ahead of him in the prestigious
$600,000
Metropolitan H. (G1) at Belmont Park on Memorial Day, but the talented
colt rallied strongly in the lane to register a two-length tally. The Kiaran
McLaughlin trainee clocked the one-mile feature in 1:36 4/5 under Alan Garcia as
the 2-1 second choice and paid $6.50, $3.40 and $2.70.
Commentator broke well and went to the front as expected, establishing splits
of :22 2/5, :44 2/5 and 1:09 3/5 while being tracked closely by First Defence (Unbridled’s
Song). Turning for home, First Defence moved up right alongside the early
leader and it appeared that he could go by at any time, but Commentator had
plenty left and quickly dispatched of that foe. Meanwhile, Divine Park, who was
well off the early tempo, advanced steadily while wide and proved his class with
a determined late run to mow down the even-money choice. Commentator was 1 1/2
lengths clear of his nearest foe in a fine runner-up performance, paying $3.10
and $2.60 while completing the $15.40 exacta. Lord Snowdon (Seeking the Gold)
was customarily last after the opening half-mile but closed well to garner the
show, worth $5.90. The nearly 22-1 shot completed the $115.50 trifecta.
It was 3 1/4 lengths back to Council Member (Seattle Slew), who was clear of
First Defence, Z Humor (Distorted Humor), Kiss the Kid (Lemon Drop Kid), Premium
Wine (Prime Timber) and Global Hunter (Arg) (Jade Hunter).
“We worried about the pace. When you lose quality horses, you just never
know,” McLaughlin said. “He is an outstanding horse. From day one, we never lost
confidence in him.”
Divine Park won for the third time in succession, and for the sixth time in
eight career career starts, to improve his lifetime line to 8-6-0-0, $607,935.
The bay colt began his career with three wins, capped by a 3 1/4-length romp in
the 2007 Withers S. (G3). An unsuccessful trip to California in the Malibu S.
(G1) concluded his sophomore campaign, and the four-year-old never fired in his
yearly bow, placing last in the General George H. (G2). Most
recently, the bay colt dominated the Westchester H. (G3) by five lengths.
Bred in Kentucky by Runnymede Farm Inc. and Catesby W. Clay, Divine Park
brought $20,000 as a Keeneland September yearling in 2005. He is out of the winning High
in the Park (Ascot Knight) and has an unnamed juvenile half-sister by Five Star
Day and an unnamed 2008 half-sister by Van Nistelrooy. This is the same female
family as 1994 Kentucky Oaks (G1) queen Sardula (Storm Cat) and multiple Grade 1
heroine Imperial Gesture (Langfuhr).