Cozmic One, Zenyatta’s first foal, puts in timed work

ELMONT, N.Y. – Cozmic One, the first foal out of the champion mare Zenyatta, worked a half-mile in 49.45 seconds Friday morning over Belmont Park’s main track, his first official timed breeze.

Cozmic One, by Bernardini, worked in the middle of a trio of unraced 2-year-olds that included the El Corredor filly Shazara and the Smart Strike colt Smart Transition. Smart Transition, by Smart Strike, is out of the Brazilian-bred mare Zardana, best known for beating 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra in the New Orleans Ladies Stakes at Fair Grounds in March 2010.

The trio went their first eighth in 12.44 and got their final three furlongs in 37.01. They galloped out five furlongs in 1:02.40.

John Shirreffs, who trains Cozmic One for owners-breeders Jerry and Ann Moss, said it is “very much our plan” to run Cozmic One as a 2-year-old. It remains undetermined whether that start would come at Belmont or Aqueduct or perhaps later in the year in Southern California.

“It’s really hard to say,” Shirreffs said when asked when he thought Cozmic One might be ready. “He’s changing. He’s losing his baby fat, getting fitter. At the same time, he’s doing a lot of miles. I don’t know at what point he’s going to start rebuilding his strength.”

Shirreffs said he has particularly liked the progress Cozmic One has made the last three weeks.

“He’s starting to think about what he’s doing, not looking around so much, he’s learning when the rider takes a hold not to go too fast and to listen to the rider,” Shirreffs said.

Kevlan Henry is the exercise rider for Cozmic One.

Shirreffs said he worked Cozmic One with two other horses to get him, and the other unraced 2-year-olds that were in that set, familiar with what is likely to occur during a race.

Also working Friday for Shirreffs was Stanwyck, who went five furlongs in 1:00.44 over the Belmont training track with jockey Rajiv Maragh up. Stanwyck, a half-sister to Shirreffs’ 2005 Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo, is being pointed to the Grade 1 Beldame here Sept. 27. Last fall, Stanwyck won the Grade 3 Turnback the Alarm over Belmont’s main track. Most recently, she finished third to Close Hatches in the Grade 1 Personal Ensign at Saratoga.