Saratoga: Zito takes charge of Fort Loudon, another Brei homebred

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Last summer, owner Fred Brei sent Jackson Bend to trainer Nick Zito before the Saratoga meet and wound up winning both the James Marvin and Grade 1 Forego stakes. Now Brei is hoping lightning can strike twice after shipping another of his talented homebreds, Fort Loudon, from south Florida to Zito for the upcoming meet.

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Fort Loudon is coming off the best performance of his career, a game victory over the multiple-graded-stakes-winning sprinter Trinniberg in Calder’s Grade 3 Carry Back on July 7. Like Jackson Bend, Fort Loudon had been under the tutelage of trainer Stanley Gold before joining Zito’s barn.

Zito will point Fort Loudon for the Grade 1 King’s Bishop on Aug. 25 but did not rule out the possibility of also running him next weekend in the Grade 2 Amsterdam.

“Fred wants me to look at the Amsterdam but to use my judgement,” said Zito. “The horse got here in good shape and is sharp right now. There’s a possibility I may work him Saturday to see how he came out of the last race. Stan did a great job with Jackson and a great job with this horse, and I just hope I can keep doing what he did.”