Zandon finds winning form in Woodward Stakes
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OZONE PARK, N.Y. - Zandon hasn’t won as often in his career as his connections would have hoped, but he’s consistently given an honest effort.
On Sunday, Zandon again showed up with a solid performance and this time it was good enough to win the Grade 2, $400,000 Woodward Stakes by 4 1/4 lengths at Aqueduct.
Zandon defeated Film Star, who prompted the pace under Jose Ortiz and finished a neck in front of Law Professor. Charge It finished fourth and was followed by O’Connor, Tyson, Costa Terra and the pacesetting Pipeline. Uno Jo and Algiers scratched. The latter is being re-routed to the Grade 3 Durham Cup Saturday at Woodbine.
Zandon won for just the third time in 13 starts, and first since he won the Grade 1 Blue Grass in April 2022. In between victories, he’s finished second in prestigious Grade 1 events such as the Metropolitan Handicap and Whitney.
The Woodward victory likely earned Zandon a shot in the $6 million Breeders’ Cup Classic on Nov. 4 at Santa Anita, trainer Chad Brown said.
“For this particular horse it was important he earned his way into the race,” Brown said. “It was important that he had a nice win.”
Zandon had to earn his victory in the Woodward, a race that had Grade 1 status for decades before being lowered to a Grade 2 for this year’s running by the North American Grade Stakes Committee.
Zandon, under Flavien Prat, got carried out five-wide into the first turn when Law Professor, under Manny Franco, took up and came over on him. Around the turn, Prat found himself between horses and had to take up on Zandon, which put him next to last for the run down the backside.
Zandon remained in sixth position down the backside and around the far turn and didn’t seem to be gaining on the leaders.
Prat was able to tip Zandon into the clear turning for home and that’s when he came with a steady run that carried him to the lead in midstretch and he opened up on the field to the wire.
Prat said the logjam into the first turn was created by everybody going for the same spot. He said his horse got a bit discouraged, so he let him settle into stride.
“I was a bit worried when we hit the [far] turn, looked like he wasn’t going anywhere,” Prat said. “From the five sixteenths to the quarter pole he was really grabbing the bridle and making a nice move and then as soon as I tipped him out, he swapped leads and he really made a good move.”
Zandon, a 4-year-old son of Upstart owned by Jeff Drown, covered the 1 1/8 miles in 1:48.48 and returned $4 as the favorite. Zandon was given a 104 Beyer Speed Figure.
Brown said he was concerned by what happened in the first turn and was worried it would discourage Zandon from putting forth a top effort.
“I thought potentially all that commotion and being pitched a little wide in the first turn would discourage the horse but his consistency really came through,” Brown said. “He was able to get up and through the dirt and out in the clear and once he did, he grabbed the bit and really powered home. I loved the way he finished the race.”
With Zandon heading to stud at Spendthrift Farm in 2024, Brown said the horse deserves a shot in a seemingly wide-open Classic.
“Obviously, it’s going to be a much, much tougher race than today, at least we’re going in off a decisive victory with a horse that’s had a very consistent year and that’s all you can ask for,” he said. “Anything can happen in a horse race.”
While Film Star won’t be going to the Breeders’ Cup, he put forth a solid effort in his stakes debut that should make him formidable in older male dirt stakes here this fall and winter.
“I was thrilled, I thought it was a good effort, the horse slowly keeps coming forward,” trainer Linda Rice said.
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