Barboza plans to ship Zenden up for Gotham Stakes

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – The last three winners of the Grade 3 Gotham Stakes all shipped to Aqueduct from South Florida. That’s a trend trainer Victor Barboza Jr. hopes continues when he ships up Zenden for the $300,000 Gotham on March 9.

Barboza on Monday confirmed the Gotham as the next spot for Zenden, a son of Fed Biz who is coming off a second-place finish to Call Paul in the Grade 3 Swale Stakes going seven furlongs Feb. 2 at Gulfstream. Prior to that race, Zenden won a maiden race and the Buffalo Man Stakes, both six-furlong races at Gulfstream.

Barboza said that in all three of those races Zenden was chasing fast opening fractions. He’s hoping at a mile the pace might not be as rapid.

In the Swale, Barboza said “they went 21, 44, and my horse is one length from the one that is in front. I think my horse would like to run 23, 46 or 47 – that would be a good pace for him.”

Zenden is based at Gulfstream Park, where last Friday he worked five furlongs in 1:00, the fastest of 16 moves that morning at that distance. Zenden is scheduled to work again this Friday in Florida and ship to New York on March 4.

Barboza said he has reached out to a couple of New York-based jockeys, but is still awaiting an answer as to availability for the Gotham. Emisael Jaramillo has ridden Zenden in his first three starts and is still possible to ride him.

A prospective list of Gotham starters includes Mind Control, Haikal, Not That Brady, Mr. Ankeny, Overdeliver, Spun to Run, Tikhvin Flew, and possibly Joevia.