Grade I winner Divine Park will enter stud at Brereton C. Jones’ Airdrie Stud near Midway, Ky., following the conclusion of his racing career. The farm has purchased a majority interest in the breeding rights of the 4-year-old son of Chester House.
“The entire Airdrie team is really excited to have what is possibly America’s most brilliant miler in line to stand at Airdrie when he retires from the track,” Jones said. “Divine Park is in the mold of a number of our young stallions as an absolute physical knock out that will excite the most discriminating breeders.”
Trained by Kiaran McLaughlin for James J. Barry, Divine Park is the sole runner with two Beyer Speed Figures of 110 or better this year. In a pair of mile stakes wins at Belmont Park, Divine Park recorded a 112 Beyer in a five-length score in the Westchester Handicap (gr. III) in 1:32.74 and a 110 Beyer in the Metropolitan Handicap (gr. I) when defeating Commentator by two lengths. His Westchester effort missed the track record by about a half-second.
Divine Park has a record of six wins from eight starts and earnings of $607,935. He also won last year’s Withers Stakes (gr. III) at a mile.
Bred in Kentucky by Catesby W. Clay and his Runnymede Farm, Divine Park is out of the winning Ascot Knight mare High in the Park, who is a half-sister to stakes winner Summer Prince and to the dams of Queen’s Plate Stakes winner T J’s Lucky Moon and stakes winner All Hail Stormy. Divine Park’s second dam, Czar’s Princess, is a half-sister to three stakes winners, including grade I winners Sardula and Imperial Gesture, the latter also being a champion in Dubai.
Divine Park, whose grandsire is Mr. Prospector, is being pointed to the July 26 Whitney Handicap (gr. I) at 1 1/8 miles opening weekend at Saratoga.