Zivo goes for fourth in a row in Aqueduct feature

OZONE PARK, N.Y. – For the second straight spring, trainer Chad Brown has a talented New York-bred working on a gaudy winning streak.

Last year, it was Readtheprospectus who put together a seven-race winning streak that included a pair of stakes victories before it ended in the Empire Classic last fall at Belmont Park.

While Readtheprospectus works his way back to the races, Zivo has risen to prominence with narrow stakes wins in the Whodam and Kings Point as part of a three-race winning streak.

[DRF Live: Get live reports and handicapping insights from Aqueduct this Saturday]

On Saturday, Zivo will seek a fourth straight victory in a third-level optional $75,000 claiming race for New York-breds that serves as the feature on a stakes-less nine-race card at Aqueduct.

The 5-year-old Zivo is a head loss to Awesome Vision from having won his last five races. Though his last three wins came around two turns over Aqueduct’s inner track, Zivo has run well around one turn over the main track and at Belmont.

“I think this horse is very versatile,” Brown said. “One turn, you might get a little more pace to run at. One turn or two, a mile is the right distance for him.”

After winning the Kings Point on Feb. 22, Zivo “did get a little sick on me,” Brown said, explaining why the horse went a month without a published workout. “We rested him up, got him 100 percent healthy, and he’s been really good since.”

Brown is hoping to use this race as a stepping-stone to the $200,000 Commentator Stakes, a one-turn, one-mile race at Belmont on May 31. Readtheprospectus, who won that race last year, might train up to the Commentator, Brown said.

The major competition for Zivo on Saturday figures to come from Comandante, who went off form after winning a New York Stallion stakes and the Alex Robb last fall. He has won his last two races over Aqueduct’s main track.

“He didn’t fire his last two races; we gave him a layoff, and he’s come back well,” said Byron Hughes, an assistant to trainer Todd Pletcher. “His last two breezes were very good, and we’ll look to continue on from there.”