Homeland Security wins Zagora as connections cap meet in style

It was only fitting that trainer Chad Brown and jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. teamed up Sunday to win the $125,000 Zagora, the final stakes of the Belmont Park fall meeting.

Brown and Ortiz topped the standings in their respective divisions at the meet, with Brown winning 38 races and Ortiz winning 44 times.

Homeland Security’s win in the Zagora also made the Klaravich Stable of Seth Klarman the leading owner of the meet by a single win. It was the second stakes win Sunday for both Brown and Ortiz. Brown had won the Chelsey Flower, and Ortiz won the Pumpkin Pie in the race immediately preceding the Zagora, which was his third consecutive victory of the day.

Zagora also was one of Brown's first top horses. Her 2011 Diana win was the first Grade 1 victory of his career. The next season, she would earn an Eclipse Award as the leading turf filly or mare in North America.

On Sunday, Ortiz placed Homeland Security in a stalking position just behind pacesetting Beau Belle in the 1 1/2-mile Zagora, run over yielding ground.

She tracked Beau Belle through slow splits of 25.96 seconds, 52.89, 1:19.64, 1:45.48, and 2:11.61, then took the lead approaching the furlong pole. Homeland Security then held off a determined bid from Golden Attitude to win by a half-length.

"I didn't want to be too far away on the turn," Ortiz said. "I was close, and she appreciated the soft ground. She came through for me in the end."

Homeland Security paid $7.90 behind 8-5 Chipolata, who saved ground to the stretch but came up empty and finished fifth.

A 4-year-old daughter of Smart Strike, Homeland Security is now 4 for 8, with two victories coming at 1 1/2 miles and the other two at 1 1/4 miles.

Golden Attitude was unhurried while racing off the early pace, then finished well to be second, unable to pass the winner. It was 2 1/2 lengths farther back to True Egyptian in third.