Zozos wins Hanshin Stakes, Ryvit takes Maxfield
RACE REPLAY IS NOT AVAILABLE?q=100)
Zozos and Ryvit notched front-running stakes wins on a stormy Sunday at Ellis Park.
There were two weather delays during the card, and Ellis’ main track went from fast at the start of racing to sloppy and sealed. Inside speed became especially strong on the wet track and made Zozos and Ryvit, contenders regardless of conditions, all but unbeatable.
Breaking on top from post 1 under Florent Geroux in the $275,000 Hanshin Stakes, Zozos set strong splits for an Ellis Park mile, 23.11 and 45.92, while hounded by Strava. Strava caved at the head of the homestretch, as did pace-chasing Collaborate, but War Campaign, rallying up the fence, briefly appeared as a threat.
Zozos would have none of that. As War Campaign’s run flattened, Zozos held firm, crossing the wire three lengths clear of War Campaign. Warrior Johny, who got a good inside stalking trip, finished third. Zozos was timed in 1:35.73 and paid $3.64.
Brad Cox trains Zozos for his breeders, Barry and Joni Butzow. While Zozos last year at age 3 ran his best race in the Louisiana Derby over 1 3/16 miles, the colt, by Munnings out of Papa’s Forest, by Forestry, appears to have found his niche as a miler.
Prior to Sunday’s success, Cox had cut Zozos back to a mile in the restricted Knicks Go Stakes on May 6 at Churchill and Zozos gamely battled back to win after being displaced on the lead. The Knicks Go third-place finisher Three Technique came back to annex the Jan Nerud Stakes on Saturday at Belmont Park.
Ryvit ($3.80) was a sharp three-length winner of the $175,000 Maxfield Stakes, trainer Steve Asmussen’s second victory on the card and 11th from his last 21 Ellis starters. Under Cristian Torres, Ryvit broke running from post 1, was chased by Squire Creek through a half-mile in 44.70 but dashed clear from that rival in upper stretch and won easily. Mullikin, who had a somewhat tricky inside trip from a stalking position, finished with good energy to get second by 1 1/4 lengths over Squire Creek.
Ryvit lost the first three starts of his career but since has won five in a row, adding the Maxfield to stakes scores in the Bachelor at Oaklawn Park and the Chick Lang at Pimlico. By Competitive Edge out of She is Bedazzling, by Medaglia d’Oro, Ryvit campaigns for owners William and Corinne Heiligbrodt.
***Anchorage
Fast as Flight won the $175,000 Anchorage Stakes by 1 1/4 lengths over tough-luck odds-on favorite White Frost, who was done in just after the start of this one-mile grass race.
While Fast as Flight got away cleanly to track pacesetting Lady Hideaway, White Frost was badly hampered when the horse inside her, Contemporary Art, came out several paths just after the break. White Frost made a strong move on the far turn to reach contention, but Fast as Flight had gotten a big jump on her, and White Frost could not make up the necessary ground over a tiring course that had just taken heavy rain.
The win in this overnight race was the first stakes victory for 5-year-old Fast as Flight, who has markedly improved this year for trainer Brian Lynch. Positioned just off the lead by Luis Saez, Fast as Flight took command turning for home and was drawing away at the wire. She was timed in 1:38 over yielding ground and paid $9.36. Owned by Susan and Jim Hill, Fast as Flight is by Air Force Blue out of Tiznow Peace, by Tiznow.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.