Zito to run improving Lenstar in Oaklawn Mile

HOT SPRINGS, Ark. – Hall of Fame trainer Nick Zito ventured to Oaklawn Park with a division of horses for the first time in his career this winter, and one of the highlights of his meet has been the development of Lenstar.

The 5-year-old son of Shackleford has won back-to-back allowances in his two starts over the local strip.

“Lenstar really came around here,” Zito said Sunday. “He likes it. He’s going to run in the Oaklawn Mile. He deserves it.”

The $250,000 race, which was introduced this year as part of a longer meet, is May 3. Channing Hill, who has been aboard Lenstar in both of his races at Oaklawn, has the mount for My Meadowview Farm.

Zito, who also has divisions of his stable at Keeneland and Belmont Park, said he is enjoying his first season at Oaklawn.

“As I speak to you today, we haven’t had any problems at all with any horses,” he said. “The track is on a natural spring, which was very unusual for me. They don’t put any chemicals on it, and I think that has something to do with the soundness of horses. Natural is always better. Anything you do natural is better than anything else. My experience here has been good.”

So good, in fact, Zito plans to return to Oaklawn for 2020.

“They have a great thing going,” he said. “The gaming is spectacular and they’re putting it back into the track. And very rare you could come anywhere in America and on March 16 you’re running for $100,000 in a maiden race. In the middle of the country.

“I’m definitely coming back. There’s no reason why I shouldn’t. What I really would like to do, if I could do it, would be to go to Florida and come here. I would love to do that. I think, obviously, it makes sense.”

Zito said this is the first time in some 35 years that he did not winter in Florida. He instead sent 20 horses to Oaklawn. Zito also sent out Raphael, who won a maiden race here off a six-month layoff at 38-1. He has won three races from 30 starts at the meet through April 3.

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Zito said that next year his approach to Oaklawn will change some based on one significant lesson he’s learned about the track. He cited the claiming activity, with 382 claims through Sunday, for $6.2 million in commerce between stables at Oaklawn.

“When I come back, I would certainly, certainly have to be in that arena,” he said. “You have to be prepared because you’re going to lose them and you got to try to claim some of them back.

“They gave me a little initiation because they claimed a couple of horses off of me, which they do. They claim horses like drinking water here. That’s the craziest thing in the world I’ve ever seen. It’s every day. It don’t stop. It’s the claiming haven of the world!”

Zito said he will have 10 horses at Oaklawn for the balance of the season, having sent 10 to Keeneland to be part of a 16-horse division at the meet.