Zozos aims to keep rolling in Hanshin Stakes
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Zozos is looking for his third straight win, and second consecutive stakes score, in Sunday’s $275,000 Hanshin Stakes at Ellis Park. The race is the richest of five stakes on the Sunday card, as it is joined by the $225,000 Bashford Manor and $225,000 Debutante, both for 2-year-olds; the $175,000 Maxfield Stakes for 3-year-old sprinters; and the $175,000 Anchorage Stakes for fillies and mares on the turf.
The stakes-heavy weekend officially closes this meet on the Kentucky circuit, with the Churchill Downs spring-summer meet that opened in April having been conducted at Ellis Park since June 10 to allow more research into a spate of equine fatalities that plagued Churchill. No one on the circuit will have to move far, as Ellis, in Henderson, Ky., opens its scheduled meet next Friday, running through Aug. 27.
There will be a mandatory payout in all wagers on “closing” Sunday, including the 20-cent Jackpot Pick 6 that had a carryover of $134,713 entering Friday’s card.
Zozos was well regarded early in his career, finishing second to eventual divisional champion Epicenter in the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby in his third career start. He was then near a strong pace before fading to 10th in the Kentucky Derby. Given a seven-month break following those efforts, Zozos returned to win an allowance/optional-claiming race at Fair Grounds. After finishing fifth in the Grade 3 Louisiana, he then won another allowance/optional claimer on March 2.
About two months later – the same spacing he will have into the Hanshin – Zozos returned to stakes company with a career-best effort. In the Knicks Go Stakes going a one-turn mile on the Kentucky Derby undercard, he broke well, was aggressively handled by Florent Geroux to lead early, and was game when headed, edging away again to win by three-quarters of a length. He earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 100, matching the number from his prior-out allowance win.
“I think anywhere between seven-eighths and a one-turn mile, probably, is what he wants to do,” trainer Brad Cox said. “I was proud of him for bidding back in there late and showing some grit. He’s a tough horse.”
Zozos will be going a mile again, but the race is more of a 1 1/2-turn race with Ellis’s track configuration, as horses break and run through a chute along the clubhouse turn before swinging left onto the backstretch. Geroux will have to be aggressive with his mount again, as they have drawn the rail. Zozos, always a good work horse, has posted a strong series of five- and six-furlong breezes coming into this.
Zozos stands out as the most recent stakes winner in this field of nine, with Three Technique, Seize the Night, War Campaign, and Warrior Johnny all coming in off allowance/optional-claiming wins. Santin has back class as a multiple Grade 1 winner on the turf, but has yet to crack into the top three in three outings this year, most recently finishing fifth in the Grade 3 Blame in his first dirt outing.
Ryvit streaks into Maxfield
Ryvit looks to continue his win streak in the Maxfield, which could be a springboard into the summer’s graded sprint stakes for his division.
Ryvit has won four straight races for Steve Asmussen, including the Bachelor at Oaklawn and the Grade 3 Chick Lang at Pimlico. The colt is drawn on the rail under Cristian Torres and will face a speedy challenge right next door from New York Thunder and Ricardo Santana Jr.
New York Thunder has won his three career starts by a combined 15 3/4 lengths for Jorge Delgado, most recently the Woodstock at Woodbine with a Beyer Speed Figure of 97 – higher than Ryvit’s career-top 93 in the Chick Lang.
Where Ryvit has the edge is proven stakes quality on dirt. New York Thunder, making his first start on dirt, is by Nyquist, who looks to be following in the mold of his sire, Uncle Mo, as an all-surface sire.
Tumbarumba, Damon’s Mound, and Determinedly were the top three finishers in a strong allowance/optional-claiming race last month at Churchill Downs. It was the first time in three starts this year that Damon’s Mound, a Grade 2 winner as a juvenile, hinted that he was returning to that form, as he was beaten only a neck while earning a career-high 92 Beyer.
Squire Creek won his first two starts before finishing second to the talented Drew’s Gold in the Gold Fever at Belmont.
Rematch in Anchorage
White Frost and Sweet Dani Girl were second and third, respectively, in the Grade 3 Mint Julep last month at Churchill Downs. They stand in the way of one another looking for the winner’s circle in Sunday’s Anchorage Stakes.
The Mint Julep was the third straight graded stakes placing for White Frost, who had previously finished second by a neck in the Grade 3 Honey Fox and then third behind divisional standout In Italian in the Grade 1 Jenny Wiley. The Bill Mott trainee could get an ideal stalking trip if a hot pace develops.
Sweet Dani Girl is one of those who would like to be forwardly placed. A multiple stakes winner against Florida-breds for Carlo Vaccarezza, she was second in the Grade 3 Modesty at Churchill before her placing in the Mint Julep. She could be joined on the front end by Fast as Flight, second in an allowance/optional claimer last out behind subsequent Mint Julep winner Henrietta Topham.
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