Fashionable Freddy could give Zito a boost
HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. – It’s not so much the spotlight that Nick Zito misses but the winning. The Hall of Fame trainer doesn’t have the stock he once did, and the result is far fewer trips to the winner’s circle than when his stable was at its peak.
Still, Zito hopes to become big in the game again, and a Tiznow colt named Fashionable Freddy could take him a step in that direction when racing resumes Wednesday at Gulfstream Park following a two-day break.
Bred and owned by the My Meadowview Farm of Len Riggio, Fashionable Freddy is one of five 3-year-olds in the nominal feature, a $44,000, first-level, 1 1/8-mile allowance carded as the fourth of 11 Wednesday races. Joe Bravo has the mount from the inside post.
“After Wednesday, if he does something, I’ll be like Don Rickles,” Zito said with a laugh. “You won’t be able to get me to stop talking about him.”
Fashionable Freddy will be trying to move up off his first try over the Gulfstream surface, a Jan. 9 optional claimer in which he was fifth behind a romping winner, Cherry Wine.
“He’s a nice colt that I think can really get better with experience,” said Zito, whose 2015 stable earnings of just more than $1 million were his lowest since 1989.
First post Wednesday is 12:35 p.m. Eastern. The jackpot carryover in the ever-growing 20-cent Rainbow 6 (races 6-11) is $665,816.
KEY CONTENDERS
Fashionable Freddy, by Tiznow
Last 3 Beyers: 62-74-17
◗ His two-back victory at Delaware Park came on the front end, and with not a whole lot of opposing speed entered against him, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Bravo send him into the early fray.
Battery, by Bernardini
Last 3 Beyers: 69-76-50
◗ This Todd Pletcher-trained colt is the logical favorite here after finishing second as the 2-1 choice behind Cherry Wine in the Jan. 9 key race. He has had two works in the interim at Palm Beach Downs.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 5 Battery. Trainer Todd Pletcher is 45-22-4-4 with a $2.57 ROI over the past five years in dirt routes at Gulfstream Park in the second start following a layoff with an in-the-money finish in the previous start. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan
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One More Shot, by Trappe Shot
Beyer: 62
◗ This winner of his first and only career start at Tampa Bay Downs didn’t grade out very well Beyer Speed Figure-wise but appears to fit well here for a high-percentage barn.
Isofass, by Rodman
Last 3 Beyers: 70-61-58
◗ This two-back maiden winner at Laurel Park didn’t fare as well over the synthetic surface in Ocala, Fla., and now returns to the dirt.
DRF FORMULATOR FACT: No. 2 All Up in Lights. Trainer Dane Kobiskie is 25-8-3-4 with a $2.59 ROI over the past five years going sprint to route on dirt with last-out winners. Click for more details. – Mike Hogan