Private Zone to run in Belmont Sprint Championship

Trainer Jorge Navarro decided on Thursday to run Private Zone in the $400,000 Belmont Park Sprint Championship on July 4 rather than the $250,000 Smile Sprint at Gulfstream Park the next day.

Navarro, who was in Florida on Thursday, said the weather played a role in his decision, as did Private Zone’s record in New York. Private Zone is stabled at Monmouth Park.

“It is very hot in Florida today, and rather than ship him down here, where he will have to adjust to a change in weather, it makes more sense to run him at Belmont,” Navarro said. “The horse is very happy right now at my Monmouth barn.”

Private Zone is 2 for 3 at Belmont. He has won the Vosburgh Invitational in each of the last two years, and in his most recent start June 6, he finished third in the Met Mile behind Honor Code and Tonalist after holding the lead into the final furlong.

Private Zone also won the Grade 1 Cigar Mile at Aqueduct last November. He finished second in the Cigar Mile in 2013.

Navarro, the leading trainer at Monmouth the last two years, took over the training of Private Zone in January for the Good Friends Stable, which is managed by former rider Rene Douglas.

Private Zone worked a half-mile in 48 seconds at Monmouth on Thursday under jockey Carlos Marquez. Martin Pedroza will ride Private Zone in the Grade 3 Belmont Sprint Championship, a seven-furlong race.

“Carlos always works him for me,” Navarro said. “He told me his work today was the best he’s had since he came to my barn. Martin has the mount, but Carlos is in the dugout waiting to hear his name called.”

Navarro said the original plan was to give Private Zone a two-month break after the Met Mile, but he came out of the race so well that Navarro decided to keep him in training. Private Zone is 8 for 28 in his career with more than $2 million in earnings.