City Zip may try turf in Kelso, BC Mile

ELMONT, N.Y. - City Zip, a multiple graded stakes winner on dirt who has never raced on grass, is being considered for Saturday's $200,000 Kelso Handicap on turf, which would be a possible prelude to a start in the Breeders' Cup Mile, trainer Linda Rice said Friday.

City Zip galloped on Belmont Park's turf course on Thursday and is scheduled to breeze over it in the next few days, Rice said. The Kelso is a Grade 2 race run at one mile on the turf. If City Zip doesn't run there, he will most likely run in the Forest Hills at six furlongs on dirt the following day.

"We are considering both the Breeders' Cup Sprint and the Breeders' Cup Mile, but we're thinking the Sprint may come up to be a stronger race," Rice said.

"We may try him on the grass in the Kelso. We'll breeze him Sunday or Monday over the turf course and make a decision between the Forest Hills and the Kelso."

Rice said City Zip galloped Thursday over the turf at a "two-minute lick" pace and she was pleased with how he handled the surface.

"He looked like he could handle it," Rice said. "Being out of a Relaunch mare we thought he could handle it. We're only considering it, trying to shoot for the best spot. I believe he would get a one-turn mile, considering he's a closer. He'd probably be well suited to it."

City Zip, a son of Carson City, has a record of 9-5-3 in 21 starts, including a victory in the Grade 1 Hopeful. This year, he has won four sprint stakes and is coming off a neck loss to Snow Ridge in the Kentucky Cup Sprint on Sept. 22.

Express Tour also possible for Mile

Express Tour is another 3-year-old stakes winner on dirt who could run in the Breeders' Cup Mile.

A son of Tour d'Or, Express Tour is coming off an authoritative 5 3/4-length victory in the Grade 3 Jerome Handicap on Sept. 22. Tom Albertrani, an assistant trainer for Godolphin Racing, said Express Tour "could very well be going in the Mile."

"This is just me talking now, but he looks like he's got a turf foot on him," Albertrani said. "The distance is right and there are not many options for the horse."

Albertrani said Express Tour could stay on dirt and run in races such as the Stuyvesant at nine furlongs against older horses on Breeders' Cup Day, or the Discovery, a nine-furlong race for 3-year-olds on Oct. 31 at Aqueduct.

Albertrani said Express Tour would not stay in the U.S long enough to run in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct in late November.

Meanwhile, Albertrani said E Dubai, second in the Travers and Super Derby, will either run in the Breeders' Cup Classic or won't run again this year. A decision is expected early next week.

Generous Rosi to go in Gold Cup

Generous Rosi, winner of the Grade 3 Turfway Park Fall Championship in his last start, is expected to make his next start in Saturday's $1 million Jockey Club Gold Cup, trainer Niall O'Callaghan said Friday.

Generous Rosi joins a field that is expected to include Albert the Great, Aptitude, A P Valentine, and Country Be Gold.

In addition to that the Gold Cup will have a small field and that his horse has won two straight, O'Callaghan said he chose the Gold Cup over the $150,000 Fayette Stakes at Keeneland because it made more economic sense.

"If he gets fourth he gets $60,000," O'Callaghan said. "In the race I planned to run him in, the Lafayette, it's $90,000 to the winner and he'd have to win. You've got to take a shot and see which race you can make the most money in."

Since being moved to the dirt and having blinkers removed in June, Generous Rosi has two wins, a second, and a third from four starts. Jorge Chavez is expected to ride.

Trainer Joe Orseno said Friday that Tarquinius is a possible starter for the Gold Cup. He breezed five furlongs in 1:01.33 over Belmont's training track.

Testing, a former claimer trained by Pete Fortay, is also possible.

Luzzi back in the saddle

Jockey Mike Luzzi, out of action since suffering a broken ankle on July 15, returned to race riding Thursday night at The Meadowlands and Friday at Belmont.

On Thursday, he rode Talk's Cheap to a fourth-place finish in an allowance at The Meadowlands. On Friday, he rode two horses, finishing fifth aboard Open Call in the second and fourth aboard Double Screen in the fourth.

"I feel real good, a little stiff," Luzzi said Friday before riding his two horses. "People who've been watching know I've been getting on four or five in the morning for two weeks. I wanted to make sure [the ankle] was 100 percent. I did everything exercise riders would do. I put it to the test to

make sure it was strong enough."

Luzzi will get back one of his stakes horses from early summer when he rides Critical Eye in Saturday's Grade 1 Beldame.

*Trainer Nick Zito ended an 0-for-54 drought in New York on Friday when Out of Sync ($6.70) won an entry-level allowance race by 3 1/4 lengths.

It was the first winner in New York for Zito since Aug. 6, when The Goo won an allowance race at Saratoga. In the interim, Zito won a 2-year-old maiden race at Pimlico on Sept. 13 with Crimson Hero.