Shidabhuti breezes, possible for Kentucky Oaks; Blazing Sevens decision still pending
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OZONE PARK, N.Y. - The 3-year-old filly Shidabhuti, who had her three-race winning streak snapped when finishing third in the Grade 3 Gazelle at Aqueduct on April 8, returned to the worktab Saturday morning, breezing a half-mile in 49.94 seconds over Belmont Park’s main track.
Though Shidabhuti has enough qualifying points to make it into the $1.25 million Kentucky Oaks field, trainer Chad Brown said he wanted to talk to owner Peter Brant before making a final decision on whether to run. Should the decision be made to skip the Oaks, Shidabhuti would likely be pointed to the Grade 1, $500,000 Acorn at Belmont Park on June 9. Also, that would enable Wonder Wheel, last year’s 2-year-old filly champion, to get into the Oaks field.
On Saturday Shidabhuti worked in company with fellow stakes winner Occult, the pair getting their final quarter in 24.16 seconds.
“It was a little maintenance work, went a little easier than I thought, but that’s okay,” Brown said.
Shidabhuti, a daughter of Practical Joke, won her first three starts, including the Busher Stakes at a one-turn mile, before her third in the Gazelle.
Brown also said Saturday that no decision has been made regarding Blazing Sevens and the Kentucky Derby. Blazing Sevens, who ranks 17th on the points list, worked a half-mile in 48.60 seconds Friday at Keeneland. Blazing Sevens, who won the Grade 1 Champagne last fall at Aqueduct, is coming off a third-place finish in the Blue Grass. Brown said he needed to discuss plans with owner John Kapek of Rodeo Creek Racing.
Meanwhile, Saturday at Belmont, Zandon, last year’s Blue Grass winner and third-place finisher in the Kentucky Derby, worked a half-mile in 48.45 seconds over the main track. It was his first local work after breezing nine times at Payson Park in South Florida. Brown said Zandon would be nominated to the Grade 3, $175,000 Westchester Stakes at Belmont on May 5.
“He had a great winter,” Brown said. “We gave him a rest and he took full advantage of it.”
Zandon hasn’t run since finishing fourth as the 4-5 favorite in the Grade 1 Cigar Mile here last Dec. 3.
Brown said In Italian, winner of the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley at Keeneland on April 15, is scheduled to arrive at Belmont Park on Monday where she will be pointed to the Grade 1 Just a Game on June 9.
On Friday, Brown won a second-level allowance race with Yukata, in what was her first start in the U.S. and first for Brown. Though that race was at 1 1/16 miles, Brown anticipates that Yukata, a daughter of Galileo, would likely be pointed to the Grade 1, $600,000 New York Stakes going 1 1/4 miles on June 9 at Belmont.
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