Private Zone to launch season in True North

ELMONT, N.Y. – Private Zone, a three-time Grade 1 winner and an earner of $2.9 million, is targeting the Grade 2, $250,000 True North on June 10 for his seasonal debut, trainer Brian Lynch said Wednesday.

On Wednesday morning, Private Zone was credited with a five-furlong work in 59.77 seconds over the Belmont main track, his first local work since shipping here two weeks ago.

Private Zone, who hasn’t raced since finishing fifth in last fall’s Cigar Mile at Aqueduct, had three works at Keeneland before coming here. In Wednesday’s work, Lynch had a stablemate break off 12 or more lengths ahead of Private Zone. The idea was not to catch the other horse but just to give Private Zone something to focus on.

“He’s happy to follow something,” Lynch said. “He’s not been as difficult as he was. He’s found a program where he wants to play ball with us a little bit now.”