Zito, Stevens team up with Frammento

HALLANDALE BEACH, Fla. - Trainer Nick Zito has secured fellow Hall of Famer Gary Stevens to ride Frammento in the April 4 Blue Grass Stakes at Keeneland. Frammento breezed a bullet half-mile in 47.80 seconds Thursday at the Palm Meadows training center.

Stevens rode Halory Hunter to win the 1998 Blue Grass, giving Zito his second of three victories in the race.

“We’re trying to recreate some good karma,” said Zito. “The colt worked lights out, so we’ll go to Kentucky with a lot of hope.”

Frammento won a maiden race last fall at Keeneland and most recently was ridden by John Velazquez when finishing third at 63-1 in the Feb. 21 Fountain of Youth behind Itsaknockout and Upstart. Frammento added blinkers in that race.

For the Florida Derby, a race he also has won three times, Zito intends to run the longshot Quimet, who had his final pre-race drill Friday at Palm Meadows.

Collmus heading to New York

Florida Derby Day will be the last day at Gulfstream for race caller Larry Collmus before he heads to Aqueduct to begin his new duties with the New York Racing Association on April 1. Pete Aiello will resume calling Gulfstream races through the summer and early fall, with Collmus returning for the 2015-16 championship meet in December.

Collmus was named last August to replace the now-retired Tom Durkin for the major NYRA meets. John Imbriale and Travis Stone have been calling this winter at Aqueduct, with Stone soon moving to Churchill Downs to replace Collmus, who worked at the Louisville, Ky., track for one year.

◗ Trainer Dale Romans said he and members of the Albaugh Family Stable are still trying to decide what is next for Taylor S, a flashy 3 1/2-length winner of the Any Limit Stakes here last Saturday. Taylor S, a 3-year-old filly by Medaglia d’Oro, earned a 94 Beyer Speed Figure in winning the six-furlong race, and Romans said a stretch-out to a longer distance is under consideration.