Lemon Zip back with females in rescheduled Zagora Stakes

It’s the Zagora and Chelsey Flower, take 2.

The turf stakes that were part of the canceled closing-day card last Sunday at Belmont Park have found a home at Aqueduct this Sunday. The races will share a program with the Grade 3 Nashua.

In the $125,000 Zagora, Lemon Zip will be getting back to racing with fillies and mares in the 1 1/2-mile stakes. Her rivals in the field of 12 include defending winner Homeland Security, as well as Grade 2 winners Lady Montdore and Sky Full of Stars and Grade 3 winners Fools Gold and Pamina.

Lemon Zip owns the field’s best last-race Beyer Speed Figure, a 94 for her runner-up finish in the $100,000 Japan Turf Cup at Laurel Park on Sept. 28. She was beaten a head in the mile and a half turf race, facing males for a chance to race at a marathon distance. Lemon Zip sat in sixth for much of the race, closed fast, and just missed at 14-1.

“I was delighted with her and then a little bit disappointed afterward because she was so close,” said trainer Niall Saville. “She deserved [to win]. She ran a great race.”

Lemon Zip has stepped up her game since she began racing in turf marathons, particularly over a mile and a half. She defeated males at the distance in a Pimlico allowance in May. Lemon Zip then beat the boys again at the same trip in a September starter handicap at Laurel that served as her prep for the Japan Turf Cup.

“It’s been a progression of her improving, improving all summer,” said Saville. “She’s just gotten better and better all summer.”

The Zagora has been a goal, according to Saville, who said he would prefer firm ground Sunday.

“The only question we have had was, ‘Will she handle soft ground,’ ” he said. “That’s definitely some concern. I just always thought she likes to hear her feet rattle.”

Saville, a 36 year-old native of England, was a race rider in Europe before coming to the United States.

“I grew up in a show jumping family,” he said.

Saville competed at a high level, and later decided he wanted to ride races. Long term, Saville, who stands over six feet tall, “knew race riding wasn’t going to be forever,” and set his sights on becoming a trainer. He went out on his own in 2010, after spending time working for trainers Michael Dickinson and Graham Motion. Saville’s most prestigious win came in 2014 with Legendary in the Grade 3 Knickerbocker at Belmont.

Lemon Zip is owned by High Kings Racing and will be ridden by Tyler Conner.

The $100,000 Chelsey Flower for 2-year-old fillies at a mile is led by Micheline, Sparkling Sky, and English Breeze. Micheline, a daughter of the millionaire mare Panty Raid, won the $106,000 Sorority at a mile on turf Sept. 1 at Monmouth. Sparkling Sky and English Breeze ran a respective fourth and fifth last out in the Grade 2 Miss Grillo at Belmont.

◗ Brook Hawkins has been named a New York Racing Association steward, and was to start his duties Friday at Aqueduct. In recent times, he has been a state steward in Louisiana.