J Z Warrior just too classy

Without Zaftig around, J Z Warrior showed her class in the $70,000 Dearly Precious Stakes for

3-year-old fillies at Monmouth Park.

In her previous race at Belmont Park, J Z Warrior finished 9 1/2 lengths behind Zaftig in the Grade 3 Nassau County Stakes. That effort was flattered when Zaftig came back to win the Grade 1 Acorn and J Z Warrior earned her first stakes win in the Dearly Precious.

Joe Bravo was aboard for Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott as J Z Warrior battled Overandabeauty and D'wild Ride for the early lead. She won that fight and widened her margin in the lane, finishing four lengths ahead of Irish Smoke with D'wild Ride third.

The time was 1:09.86 for the six furlongs on the fast track. J Z Warrior, the betting choice of the 9,313 at Monmouth, paid $4.60 to win.

"It's very nice to ride for Bill Mott," Bravo said. "It makes my job very easy. He brought the best horse over here. All I had to do was hang on."