Zuby a dual-surface threat against the boys in Awad Stakes
?q=100)
OZONE PARK, N.Y. – Trainer George Weaver is looking forward to getting Zuby on turf in Sunday’s $150,000 Awad Stakes for 2-year-olds at Aqueduct. However, if forecasted rain showers force the race to the dirt, Weaver will be equally as happy to run the 2-year-old daughter of Vekoma against the boys in this six-furlong race.
Weaver, fresh off sending out the filly Cy Fair to beat the boys in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint, intended to run Zuby on turf first time out. But the Sept. 25 maiden race at Aqueduct came off the turf, and Zuby rallied from 11 lengths back to beat optional maiden $75,000 claimers by 3 1/4 lengths.
“She sustained her run, I don’t know what she beat, but she was impressive enough,” Weaver said. “I like her on grass. The reality is you don’t know until you get them on it.”
Weaver had Zuby entered in Friday’s Stewart Manor Stakes for 2-year-old fillies, but actually thought the Awad was the easier spot. And if it rains?
“I guess I’d rather it come off, she’s already handled the mud,” said Weaver, who is part-owner of the filly along with St. John’s men’s basketball coach Rick Pitino and Pitino's longtime friend John Cronin Jr.
Eric Cancel rides Zuby from post 5.
Squad Goals figures to get a lot of attention, primarily because of the rider switch from Gaddiel Martinez to Flavien Prat, who rode 11 winners over the Sunday and Thursday cards here. Squad Goals, trained by Adam Rice, raced twice over the synthetic surface at Presque Isle, finishing second on debut when coming from off the pace before going gate to wire in his second start. Squad Goals was steadied in his first start, which may have cost him.
“First race, he had nowhere to go, he had a lot of momentum,” Rice said. “He can be a little headstrong and react a bit if you pick him up too fast, and he got a little insecure going into [the turn]. We’re improving, he’s come along and matured, and next time out he got a great trip, broke on top. That other horse wasn’t going to get us.”
Rice said he’ll let Prat decide which is the best way to ride Squad Goals in the Awad.
“Let it [be] dealer’s choice,” Rice said. “If you break on top, stay there. If you don’t break on top, I’d rather you stay and sit.”
Jose D’Angelo has the uncoupled pair of Throckmorton and Uncle Aldo in the Awad. Throckmorton, after catching two sloppy tracks in New York, went to Gulfstream Park to win a five-furlong race on Tapeta. Despite Throckmorton being very fast, D’Angelo said he’s confident he can handle six furlongs.
Uncle Aldo, D’Angelo said, definitely needs the six furlongs of this race.
D’Angelo said the rider assignments were incorrectly listed on the overnight. Samuel Marin should be named to ride Throckmorton, while Manny Franco will ride Uncle Aldo.
Wesley Ward kept Should’ve in Friday’s Stewart Manor and plans to run the maiden Gypsy Art in the Awad. Gypsy Art finished third to Cy Fair in the Algonquin Stakes at Woodbine. Glorious Boy, a maiden winner in his first try on turf, completes the field.
:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.