Verifying Adds Another Win to Resume at Oaklawn

Grade I placed Verifying (3c Justify x Diva Delite, by Repent) started his 3-year-old season in impressive style with a 5 ¼ length romp at Oaklawn.

The colt stayed close to the pacesetter in the one-mile dirt race, keeping that runner honest throughout much of the affair. Around the far turn, he ramped up the pressure before entering a duel going into the stretch. The race was quickly ended by Verifying as he put the pacesetter behind him and romped home well in front of the field with the third placed horse eight lengths behind him in the end.

Trained by Brad Cox for Jonathan Poulin, Westerberg, and the Coolmore partners, the Hunter Valley and Mountmellick Farm-bred won on debut last year before finishing second in the Grade I Champagne Stakes in his next start.

Verifying was a $775,000 Keeneland September Yearling purchase from his co-breeder’s consignment and is a half-brother to champion Midnight Bisou and stakes-placed Stage Left. Their dam Diva Delite was a Grade III winner herself and is out of multiple stakes placed Tour Hostess.

Diva Delite foaled an Uncle Mo colt last April with her daughter Midnight Bisou topping last year’s Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale when selling for $5.5 million.

Only a few minutes after Verifying’s win, Justify’s Grade III winning son Champions Dream finished second by a neck in the Pasco Stakes.

Justify is the sire of 29 winners with six stakes winners and 10 stakes performers with seven of those coming at the graded stakes level.